[Update: Memorial service details now available at the Services link]

Mary Kate Crawford, 87, of Fremont, California, passed in her sleep on April 24, 2022.

Mary was born on April 30, 1934. Her father being a railroad civil engineer, she spent her first years living on a railroad caboose before her family settled in Tacoma, Washington. She attended and graduated from St Thomas Aquinas Academy Catholic Secondary School in Tacoma. Married and settled in Fremont, California, in 1958, she subsequently raised four children on her own.

Outside of raising a family, Mary pursued lifelong fulfillment along two themes in her life: enrichment of her Catholic faith and -- inspired by a childhood bout with polio -- the many practices of mind and body health and healing. Mary belonged to and mantained a rich network of charismatic and faith sharing groups from which she developed lifelong friendships and support, most recently as a member of Palo Alto based COJ lead by Fr. Sean O'Laoire. Mary's interest in health included work as an LVN nurse, her own massage therapy practice, and an herbal supplements business, These, however, are but a small sampling of her interests in these areas. Throughout her life, exemplified by a rich personal library, Mary was an avid student, teacher and at times lecturer on both of these topics, and pursued and maintained a rich set of knowledge on each. Mary further practiced immense charity through her volunteer work with numerous organizations, both to the needy and also local and regional political candidates and causes, establishing friendships with a number of California political leaders.

With young kids, Mary found ways to include vacations and traveling, often back to Tacoma, Washington for family visits, or to parks and attractions in California. She later enjoyed regular visits to her grown children's familes in Chicago and around California, rarely missing a family holiday or celebration. Mary proudly relished her Irish heritage, punctuated by two trips to Ireland with friends. At home Mary enjoyed nothing more than working her garden and watching Jeopardy in the evening. She was a talented piano player and enjoyed knitting in her spare time.

To her family, Mary was the best mother, grandmother, aunt and godmother that anyone could want, always there when help was needed, a sympathetic ear in hard times, a fun traveling companion, and an inspiration to young minds. She was loved by her family and many, many friends and neighbors.

Mary was precdeceased in her passing in recent years by two loving brothers Jack and Jim Crawford. She is survived by her four children and spouses, Gerry and Phil Perry, Elizabeth and Paul Spock, Jim Burke, David and Waleska Burke, and by twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Please click the Services link for memorial service details.