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MARY CATHERINE Age 90, danced peacefully into the arms of the Lord, January 5, 2012 following a long chronic illness, just shy of her 91st birthday. Mary was a resident of Rio Rancho, NM, but had spent the past 36 years in Alamogordo, NM prior to coming to the Albuquerque area in 2007. Born in 1921 to Irish immigrants Henry and Julia (Horgan) Murphy, she is also preceded in death by one brother, Thomas J. Murphy. Her early years were spent in and around the Haverhill, MA area in a happy, loving household where her Irish cousins would come and dance to Irish music in the kitchen near the coal stove. She was married in 1954 to a young USAF soldier, Gerald F. Kessler a survivor of Pearl Harbor, who left her widowed much too soon in 1986 after 32 years of marriage. They survived the tumultuous and vagabond life of the serviceman moving numerous times, all while keeping the household together. Together they had three children, Damian, Christopher and Carolyn all born in Alamogordo Holloman AFB while stationed there. Mary is survived by her oldest son, Damian Kessler and his wife, Vary of Los Lunas, NM and their three children, Maureen, William and Katherine; Christopher Kessler and his wife, Tomai of Edgewood, NM and Carolyn Jones and her husband, Kris and their two daughters, Tana (Jones) Botts and Dominic Botts of Woodstock, GA and Lindsey Jones and partner, Estevon chavez of Rio Rancho; nephew, Thomas J. Murphy Jr. of Stuart, FL; and nieces, Jane (Murphy) Sasso and Richard Sasso of Groveland, MA; Patricia Murphy of Bradford, MA and Julie (Murphy) Pierce and Charles Pierce of Bradford, MA. Mary was expecting her first great-grandchild (grandson) due this coming May 2012 to Tana and Dominic-we know she will be there in spirit to meet him. Mary worked primarily as a bookkeeper and finance accountant in a variety of workplaces all of her life, but enjoyed the challenge and camaraderie she found as a working woman contributing to the household. She was a caring, fun-loving, spirited soul with a true love for music and dance-oh how she loved to dance! Just weeks before she passed, she was doing the cha-cha with her daughter in...where else the kitchen! Life to Mary was a journey that was to be taken with the good and the bad, though she always put a positive spin on things and somehow made it all look grand! She touched people with her humor and wit-even strangers that she had just met. She was truly a peach of a woman that will be missed by everyone who knew her. the Jones' family would also like to express their thanks and heartfelt gratitude to the loving care given to Mary from the staff at Vista Care Hospice and Casa Contenta in her time of need. A celebration of Mary's life will be held with family and friends on Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2:00 p.m., at the Jones' home at 3718 Linda Vista Ave NE, Rio Rancho. Mary has now traveled down that road of the Irish Blessing with the wind at her back, rain falling softly, and God holding her in the palm of His hand until we all meet again. Please visit our online guest book for Mary at www.RememberTheirStory.com. FRENCH 9300 Golf Course Rd NW 505-897-0300
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