Mary Ellen Hohl

1933 - 2013

Mary Ellen Bailey Hohl passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 10 surrounded by her loving family. She was 80 years old.

She was born to the late Mary and Stephen J. Bailey August 16, 1933 in Mobridge, South Dakota. She graduated from Mobridge High School in 1951, and headed to Minneapolis that July. She worked as a nurses' aid until January of 1952 when she started training to be an x-ray technician at St. Joseph's Hospital. After graduating she headed to San Francisco. After a brief trip back to Milwaukee, she returned to San Francisco in late 1956 where she worked as a technician for the Hand brothers, 5 physicians with ties to her hometown of Mobridge.

It was there that she became reacquainted with another hometown boy who had also moved there, Joseph Hohl. After his service in the Air Force, he also returned to the Bay Area as a civilian employee. He looked her up in the phone book and, as they say, the rest is history.

She moved to Redding in 1961 when Joe was transferred there with the Forest Service. She worked as an x-ray technician at both Mercy Hospital and for Redding Radiology before retiring to travel and spend time with her grandchildren. She was active in both St. Joseph's Catholic Church and School for years serving in many areas, as well as Northern Valley Catholic Social Services. In 1998, she "ran away to Arizona to get away from the rain", but after 8 years returned to Redding.

Her happiest day was the day she married Joe on May 24, 1958 and the saddest was the day she lost him on May 11, 1981. The years in between could not have been better. She often said the greatest accomplishment of their life together was their four children "Three Queens and a King" as Joe would say.

She enjoyed traveling, music, sewing, cross-stitch, quilting, "stimulating the economy" and getting in touch with her beloved Irish side.

She is survived by her four children, Mary Beth Floyd (Kurt), of Dixon; Cathy Traugott (Craig), of Redding; Terri Wright (Bill) of Cottonwood; John Hohl (Kim), of Omaha; 15 grandchildren - Rebecca Floyd, Matthew Floyd, David Floyd, Rachel Floyd, Katie Burch, Joshua Burch, Jesse Traugott, Joe Burgon (Bridie), John Wright, Chris Wright, Eric Wright (Jackie), Krysten Hohl, Brady Hohl, Mikaela Pechar, Ethan Pechar; and 3 great-granddaughters - Madelyn, Emily, and Caroline Burgon.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to St. Joseph's School, 2460 Gold Street, Redding, CA 96001.

The rosary will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 2040 Walnut Avenue, Redding at 7:30pm on Monday, December 16. A mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, December 17th at 10am, also at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.