Mary Catherine Carr

Mary Catherine Carr passed away on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, Washington. Mary was born December 10, 1925 in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of James and Georgia Bellar. She was united in marriage to Harry F. Carr on June 10, 1946 in Mason, Kentucky. He preceded her in death February 27, 2008 in Grand Junction, Colorado. They were married for more than 61 magnificent years.

Mary was the second youngest of seven children. During World War II, she worked in a factory cracking eggs open, which were then processed for use in C-rations for the military troops. In 1957, Mary moved to sunny Southern California with her husband and two children, where she worked in electronics for more than 30 years; first with Litton Industries, and later retiring from Librascope.

Mary was an avid bowler most of her life, in addition to being a top notch card player. Many Friday and Saturday nights were spent with family and friends playing poker, pinochle, and euchre. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and loved to host parties.

Upon becoming a California resident, she enjoyed camping with her family. No matter the season, almost every weekend she would pack up the family station wagon and take off with her husband and children to the desert, the mountains, or the beach. One Christmas morning was spent camping in a tent in snow-covered Sequoia National Park.

In her later years, she could not pass up a good garage sale, and found many wonderful treasures. She referred to garage sales as her “therapy”. She would laugh as she explained, “I can either spend $125 to talk to a shrink for 45 minutes, or I can go to garage sales all day long, talk to more people there, spend less money doing it, and feel ten times better.”

When Mary retired in 1989, she and her husband relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado, where they enjoyed retirement for 19 years. Following a stroke early in 2012, Mary traveled to Federal Way, Washington, to be cared for by her son and daughter-in-law during her recovery.

She is survived by her children, Harry F. Carr, Jr., of Federal Way, Washington, and Kathryn E. O’Carra of South Beach, Oregon; daughter-in-law Barb Orchard-Carr of Federal Way, Washington; 4 grandchildren, Heather M. Carr of Grand Junction, Colorado, Derek R. Carr of Seattle, Washington, Keith Orchard of Phoenix, Arizona, and Nicole C. Swapp of Black Diamond, Washington; and 2 great-grandchildren, Zachary E. and Emily C. Hackett of Grand Junction, Colorado.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by all of her siblings, brothers James Bellar, Harold Bellar, Warren Bellar, and Jack Bellar, and sisters Freda Ankrom and Joann Chambers.

Private services will be held, and Mary’s remains will be placed in a niche next to her husband’s at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Grand Valley Hospice Care Center, 3090 North 12th Street, Suite B, Grand Junction, CO 81506.