Obituary: Mary Elizabeth Kaluza Thronson

Mary Elizabeth Kaluza Thronson, 98, passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2016 at her home in Great Falls.

Funeral liturgy will take place at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, with a reception immediately following. Interment will take place at 2:30 p.m. at the Calvary Cemetery in Havre, Montana. Arrangements are in the care of O'Connor Funeral Home.

Mary E. Thronson was born Sept. 1, 1918, to Frank and Mary Gaida Kaluza in Savoy, Montana. She graduated from Harlem High School in 1936 and then moved to Great Falls, where she graduated from Great Falls Business College.

Mary then went to work at Security State Bank in Harlem as a teller. It was there that she met the love of her life, Carl Thronson, who co-owned the bank with his father and brother. After several years of courtship, they were married on March 19, 1955. Carl passed away in 1965 and he was buried in Havre where Mary will be buried next to him.

After Carl died, Mary moved from Harlem to Great Falls. She worked at Norwest Bank as a teller until her retirement in 1983. During her time at Norwest, she met many of her Great Falls friends and enjoyed attending bank reunion picnics at a ranch near the Bob Marshall Wilderness for many summers.

Following her retirement, Mary volunteered for several years at the YWCA, Ulm Pishkun State park and the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Center in Great Falls.

Mary loved to bowl, and she was good at it! She spent many a happy Wednesday at Women's League, bowling well into her 90s at Little's Lanes in Great Falls.

Mary was a great gardener! She was a farmer in training and at heart. She knew how to make anything and everything grow. She had a true green thumb and grew delicious tomatoes and beautiful geraniums this summer.

Mary stayed in touch with her family and friends and up to date on world events these last many years by emailing and surfing the web. She was not one to let technology pass her by!

Mary loved animals and always had a place in her home and her heart for a pet. Her beloved dogs and cats were wonderful companions to her all her life.

Mary is survived by her O'Loughlin nephews and nieces: Mary Kay (Jim) Olson of Ketchum, Idaho, Patty O. Murphy (Ed Flaherty) of Bloomington, Minnesota, Mark P. O'Loughlin Jr. of Great Falls, Montana, Frank O'Loughlin (Susan Stearns) of Evergreen, Colorado, and Carol O'Loughlin of Ketchum, Idaho. She is also survived by her great-nephews and -nieces Ryan O. Murphy (Layne Paddock), Patrick O. Murphy, Erin O. Murphy (Erica Burrell), Heather O'Loughlin (Neal Ullman), and Mark D. O'Loughlin (Melissa Darko); great-great niece Madeline O'Loughlin Ullman; and great-great nephew Finnian Patrick Murphy. Mary also has cousins in Minnesota and Havre, whom she enjoyed staying in touch with over the years.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl; and sisters Pauline, who died in infancy, and Albina (Alvina) Marion Kaluza O'Loughlin, who died in 2004 in Great Falls.

Her family was precious to her, just as she was to all of them.

Donations may be made in Mary's memory to the Great Falls Community Food Bank, 1620 12th Ave. N, Great Falls MT 59401.