Mary McDonough, age 79, of Prior Lake, MN, entered eternal peace on Monday, September 21, 2020, while residing at Friendship Manor Health Care Center, in Shakopee, MN.
A time of gathering honoring Mary and her son, Ted, (who passed on August 5, 2018) wil l be held on Thursday, October 8, from 5-7 pm, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, 4565 Pleasant Street SE, Prior Lake. Masks will be required, and social distancing maintained.
It was on February 27, 1941, in Minneapolis, MN, Harry and Elaine (Bela nger) McDonough welcomed their first daughter Mary Colleen. It was later, she welcomed a baby sister Patti into the family. Throughout life, the two sisters remained close and never lived to far away from each other. Mary grew up in South Minneapolis on 43 rd and Minnehaha A ve. She first went to school at St. Helena where she and her sister had many friend s and loved to play around Minnehaha Falls area , along with getting soda s at the family hardware business. Then she went to Holy Angels Academy, were sh e formed a strong faith foundation, which carried her through life’s trials and tribulations.
After graduating from high school, Mary married Gary Thorson and became the proud mother of two sons, Ted and Mike. First settling in Bloomington, MN, near the family business, the family eventually moved to Eagan, MN to raise the ir family. Summers were spent cruising the St Croix and Mississippi River with family and friends on their houseboat. Mary and the family in the end moved to Credit River Township, in Prior Lake. It was here, Mary really enjoyed the country life. She found great pleasure raising and riding horses and tending to the countless kittens and dogs brought home by her two sons. Mary loved spending time in the vegetable and flower gardens , where she did have a bit of a green thumb. Mary and Gary eventually parted ways, but her faith in God and her family never faltered.
Mary’s focus then turned back to school and at the age of 40, she graduated from Normandale Community College and the Universi ty of St. Catherine’s, where she g raduated with Honors. Taking her experience of accounting from the family business and her degree from college, Mary worked for many years at O’Keefe Cabinetry, in Minneapolis. She eventually took her skills and assisted v arious companies. Upon retiring, Mary was blessed with a grandson Reese, and loved being a grandma, taking him for long walks and playing with him at the park.
Then her adventures went south, and she spent summers in Minnesota and winters in Arizona, befo re living in Arizona full time. In 2015, Mary returned to Minnesota to be closer to her son, Mike.
Mary filled life with laughter, comedy and always with a smile. She had a smart business sense. But most of all, Mary was loving, forgiving and warm hearte d, all a sign of her faith in God.
Forever loved, Mary will be sadly missed by her son, Mike Thorson; grandson, Reese Thorson; sister, Patti (Tom) Tomenak ; other relatives and friends.
There greeting Mary home in Heaven is her son Ted, and parents.
B allard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation proudly served and cared for the McDonough family.
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