Mary Catherine McManus

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McManus Mary Catherine McManus, age 82 of St. Louis Park, died November 2, 2002. Born September 7, 1920 in Dilworth, MN to Charles William & Sarah Agnes (Duffy) Coryell. Preceded in death by husband, Leo A. McManus of Vancouver, WA, also originally from Dilworth; parents, Charles & Sarah Coryell; brothers, John and Edward Coryell. Beloved mother of Catherine Coryell Anderson and husband, Larry; grandchildren, Michael Anderson, Elizabeth (Liza) Petersen and husband, Michael; Matthew Anderson and wife, Amy. ``Granny Great'' to Jessica Catherine Anderson, Jacob Michael and Abby Elizabeth Petersen, and Bennett Patrick Anderson. ``Wish Mother`` to Eileen Taylor. At the age of 5 she sold her father's garden vegetables out of a wagon, then peddled Liberty magazines, operated the Dilworth telephone switchboard, car hopped at the Root Beer Barrel, and worked for Herbst Dept. Store in Fargo. She graduated from Dilworth High School and the Northern Pacific School for Agent-Telegraphers in Jamestown, ND. She served stations including Dilworth, MN, Lisbon, Spiritwood, and Kathryn, ND until her retirement as a Burlington Northern Direct Service Agent headquartered in Spring Park. After retirement, she married Leo McManus, a childhood sweetheart and divided her time between his home in Vancouver and hers in St. Louis Park. After his death Mary Catherine resided permanently in St. Louis Park, 4 blocks from her daughter, Cathie. There they dedicated their mornings to worthwhile causes. After coffee was saucered and blowed, they made heavy political decisions and settled world problems. Second on the agenda, discussing and making predictions regarding every minute detail in the daily lives of their children, grands and greats. Mary Catherine was an Irish-Catholic girl born the year that women won the right to vote. She was a strong believer in her family, her faith, the DFL party and unions' right to organize. She was active in politics in ND. As a Hubert Humphrey democratic she served on the 107 member National Democratic Charter Commission which recommended a permanent charter for the Democratic Party of the United States, determining its size, composition and manner of electing delegates to a conference held in 1974 on the Democratic Party organization and policy. She was a delegate to the 1968 National Convention in Chicago and the 1972 convention in Miami. Appointed as the ND member on the 1972 Democratic Rules Committee meetings held in Washington D.C. and the Democratic Womens activities for ND, AFL-CIO Committee on political education. Member of the Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks, T.C.U Division, VFW Womens Aux., and the Morse Telegraph Club, Inc. Blessings and thanks to the Hospice Angels including Mary Magdelene and St. Cecilia. ``She would not have us sad because she is lying there, And when she meets our gaze her eyes are laughter-lit, Her speech a wicked tale that we may vie with her, Matching our broken-hearted wit against her wit. . .'' William Butler Yates Funeral service leaving Tues. 9:30am from Gearty-Delmore Park Chapel, Woodale at Excelsior Blvd. Mass of Christian Burial Tues. 10am at the Church of the Holy Family, 5900 W Lake St., St. Louis Park. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Wake TONIGHT 5-8pm with prayer service at 5:30pm at Gearty-Delmore Park Funeral Chapel. Memorials preferred to Franciscan Missionary Union, c/o Father Richard Duffy, 3140 Merrimac St., St. Louis, MO 63118. Gearty-Delmore 952-926-1615

Published on November 3, 2002