Mary C. Touey

KINGSTON — Mary C. Touey, 85, a long-time resident of Kingston, died Jan. 20, 2018.

Born Oct. 30, 1932, in Wilkes-Barre, a daughter of the late William H. Corgan Sr. and Blanche Carey Corgan, Mary attended St. Ann's Academy and graduated from Kingston High School and Marywood College. After college, she was a social worker for Catholic Charities. Mary met her future husband, John A. ("Jack") Touey, shortly after he returned home from having been a prisoner of war in North Korea for almost three years. While many people at that time equated "freedom" with "forgetting," Mary knew otherwise. She knew that the "Forgotten War" would never be forgotten by Jack, yet she refused to let go of what she knew in her heart was meant to be. The couple were married on Feb. 5, 1955, and relocated to Buffalo, N.Y. After living in Buffalo for eight years, the couple returned to Kingston where they raised their six children. When their youngest child was ready for kindergarten, Mary returned to school as a teacher for the Wyoming Valley West School District; she taught middle school for 23 years until her retirement in 1993. With her calm demeanor and seemingly endless patience, Mary nonetheless was a persistent force, and she quite capably managed to balance it all: family, friends, work, community, and so much more.

While her passion for her family was second to none, she also knew the importance of personal growth and in pursuit of hers she enjoyed reading and traveling. During retirement years, her favorite pastime became daily dinners out with her husband. From a young couple to an elderly couple over a span of almost 60 years, their marriage remained a solid family foundation despite the wear and tear of many hardships, challenges, and losses, for through it all Jack and Mary embraced one and other with a love that never wavered. How comforting for their children when their father's last words to them were "your mother took good care of me". And how comforting when their mother despite being stricken with Alzheimer's held onto the memory of her husband and would often say to her children "your father was a good man."

In addition to her parents and her husband, Mary was preceded in death by her sons, John A. Touey Jr. and W. Timothy Touey; and sisters, Ann Corgan Dobransky and Carol Corgan.

Surviving are her daughter, Maureen (Bill) Thede, of Dallas; sons, Michael (Gail), of Dallas, James (Heidi), of Kingston, Paul (Heather Paffe), of Austin, Texas; daughter-in-law, Judith Touey, of Pringle; grandchildren Travis Touey, of Austin, Texas, Amanda Touey, of Ithaca, N.Y., Mary Thede, of Madrid, Spain, Will Thede, of New York City, Sarah Touey, of Pringle, Ryan and Lauren Touey, of Kingston; step-granddaughter, Denys (Matt) Thompson, and step-great-grandchildren, Weylin and Winnie Thompson, of Porterville, Calif. Also surviving are her brother, William H. Corgan, Jr., of Franklin, N.C., and sister, Susan Corgan Russo, of Henderson, Nev.; numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend its gratitude to the staff at Tiffany Court at Kingston for the compassionate care and assistance they provided to Mary, and most especially creating a loving and secure second home for her. Also special thanks to Hospice of the Sacred Heart for their services and commitment to making Mary comfortable and peaceful during her final months.

With a strong devotion to her faith, Mary was a long-standing member of St. Ignatius Loyola Church, Kingston. There will be no calling hours, and a Mass of Christian Burial and interment services will be private. She will be laid to rest beside her loving husband and first-born son at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Carverton. Condolences can be sent to the family at: www.maher-collins.com.