Mary Ellen Sisk, devoted wife and mother, who began a career mid-life literally as a lifeline to the emotionally distressed in the community, passed peacefully, Jan. 6, 2025.

Mary was born in Denver, Colo., Aug. 31, 1929, to Katharine and Edward McDonnell.

At two, Mary nearly died from pneumonia but was saved by a transfusion from her father.

She lived in Englewood, but across the street from Denver and enjoyed the many attractions there. She attended St. Louis Catholic school and St. Frances De Sales High School. She retained enough from piano lessons in grade school to later accompany husband Jim’s singing. She played bass in the high school orchestra.

In school Mary learned knitting from the Red Cross. Later she would produce numerous baby blankets and stocking caps for her family.

One of her dad’s jobs, as a collections agent for Colliers Publishing, brought  books and magazines into the home, sparking in Mary a life-long passion for reading.

The family moved to Richland when her dad became a guard at the Hanford Reservation during WWII. After her junior year she spent a happy senior year in Spokane nurtured by Franciscan Nuns at Marycliff High School.

She returned home to work at Hanford. With her mother’s death, Mary quit her job to care for her father’s household.

Mary met Jim in Christ the King’s young adults group. They married in June, 1949. The family grew to six boys and four girls, but she made each child feel special. She supported her children’s activities, serving as a Den Mother and a Girl Scouts leader. Mary used her sewing skills to make clothes for the children. Mary instilled values of tolerance and acceptance in her children and was quick to welcome their friends. Her children’s testimonials to her devotion as a mother resulted in her winning a local radio station’s “Mother of the Year” contest.

With children growing up, Mary started another career. Volunteering a few hours a week with the local Dial H-E-L-P suicide prevention call-in line, Mary gained crisis counseling experience. She moved into staff positions there and with Mid-Columbia Mental Health. Over the phone, Mary gave comfort and hope to those emotionally on the edge. She touched many lives, likely saving some as well.

Mary’s experience led to her position as executive director of what became known as the Support, Advocacy & Resource Center, an agency supporting sexually abused women and children. She again was admired for her compassion and her ability to deliver support to the emotionally traumatized.

Retirement allowed Mary to travel to New England, New York City, Paris, Scotland, Ireland, across Canada and to explore her Midwest roots.

College courses stimulated her dormant talents in drawing, painting and photography. Writing classes resulted in a booklet of her compositions, “Thoughts and Verbal Sketches.”

Fascinated with Irish lore, Mary took to performance story telling and spun tales on stage at folk festivals. Limitations from open heart surgery ended her performances.

Mary was a member of Christ the King Parish and helped start its Social Justice and Peace Committee. She was a former member of St. Vincent De Paul and a Chaplaincy Hospice House volunteer. She was a board member of Tri-Cities Residential Services and served with the Sexual Assault Response Center.

She loved her house and yard and sharing stories of her life. The companionship of dogs was a joy through her life and she missed having one in her last years.

Mary was preceded in death by Jim, sister Katharine, and brothers Richard (Mack) and Mike. Strength of character helped her withstand the untimely deaths of adult children, Martha Sisk Moro and Thomas.

Mary is survived by her children John (Mary Anne), Karen (Monte Sula), Robert, Mark (Laura Chandler), son-in-law Jerry Moro (Lori), Ellen (Tim Blair), David (Mary Hartman), Daniel (Barbara) and Amy Muhlestein (Mylan). Mary had 22 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.