In Loving Memory

Mary Catherine Gaughan

Mary Gaughan passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at her home in Addy, WA.  She was 76.  The cause of death was cardiac arrest.

The eldest child of James E. Gaughan and Irma B. (Warcken) Gaughan, Mary Catherine Gaughan was born on November 19, 1947 in Oakland, CA.

She grew up in San Lorenzo Village in the San Francisco Bay area, attending Bishop O'Dowd High School, where she developed as an excellent student, but often spent time in the detention room for refusing to button her uniform sweater – a preview of future character development.

Mary enrolled in Fairmont Nursing School in San Leandro and became a Licensed Vocational Nurse, working at Kaiser Hospital in Hayward, CA for several years.

Mary was an avid horse lover and eventually moved to rural Oregon with her horse Trixie.  Then, for a time she joined her sister, Florence and brother Stephen, living and working at Yosemite National Park.

In 1981, living again in the Bay Area, Mary was involved in a near fatal auto accident which left her left leg nearly inoperative and would affect her mobility for the rest of her life.  However, she refused to accept this limitation and moved to Santa Fe, NM with Trixie and started a "New Age" video rental company called LunaVision.

After several years in the Southwest, Mary relocated to Colville, WA to be closer to her sister, Florence and her family.

Mary loved the woods, nature, all animals, extended mornings of pour-over coffee, pie for breakfast, rainy days, tacos, playing her conga drums and dancing with her friends into the wee hours of the night.  She was a healer, a mystic, a writer and an artist.  She was a good listener who often had strong opinions which she was not shy about sharing.  Our memories of Mary will always remain a source of joy, humor and love.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, James and Irma, and her brother Stephen.  She is survived by her daughter, Dena Chitty; 2 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; siblings and spouses, Michael Gaughan and Kandis (Taylor) Gaughan, Patrick Gaughan and Scott Burgess, and Florence Gaughan and Ken Luker; 4 nephews and 1 niece; 8 great nieces and nephews; and extended family and many dear friends.

A service is planned for June 30, 2024 in Colville, WA.  Details will be announced at a later date.