Mary Elizabeth Kennett

MONONA - Mary Elizabeth Kennett, age 100. To know Mary was to know laughter, beauty, diligence, and aromas of deliciousness wafting from a kitchen. Born in Kernei, Austria-Hungary on Oct. 6, 1916, she emigrated to the United States in 1920 with her parents. They settled on a farm in Union Grove, Wis., before moving to Chicago in the midst of the Great Depression. It was there she met her husband, Robert, and raised their two daughters, Mary Ann and Patty. In addition to being an avid Cubs fan and cultivating decades of productive vegetable and flower gardens, she took great pride in her career as a medical secretary continuing to impress and astound those in the medical profession throughout her long life. She lived for 55 years in Chicago before retiring to Largo, Fla., in 1985 to enjoy the warmth of dear friends, swimming pools, performing with the Tic Toc Club and cooking for hundreds at Oktoberfest and St. Patrick's Day parties. A lifelong learner and doer, she took up painting, computers and crafting in her seventies and eighties and was still sharing her fabulous spaghetti sauces and baking cookies for family and friends well into her late nineties.
She spent her last 10 years in Madison, Wis., surrounded by doting children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She died Nov. 21, 2016 in the way she wanted: having made it to 100, holding hands of loving family, and in the beautiful home she had made. Our hearts are heavy now only because we carry all the love, energy, joy, laughter and verve she shared with us throughout her extraordinary life.
She is survived by her daughters, Mary Ann Doherty and Patty (Malcolm) Black; grandchildren, Laura Moore, Justin (Martha) Doherty, Ian (Dawn) Doherty, Kathleen (Andy Kuemmel) Doherty, Jim Goldberg, Kelly (Jeff) Bond; eight great-grandchildren, Erin, Joseph, Amber, Sean, Christian, Sam, Stevie, Rene; and great-great-grandchild, Charlie. She was preceded in death by her parents, Eva and Matthias; her husband, Robert; her brother, Matthias; son-in-law, Walter Doherty; and great-granddaughter, Faith Bond.
A funeral celebrating her life will be held at IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH in Monona on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to St. Jude Research Hospital, Nashville, Tenn., Agrace HospiceCare, or Olbrich Botanical Gardens.