Arlene Rose McGann

She was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 26, 1931. In her youth, Arlene moved to Dallas Texas with her parents and sister, Rita. She attended, and graduated from, Crozier Technical High School in Dallas. After graduation, she started her working career as a teller at Republic Bank in downtown Dallas.

Then, she met the love of her life, Patrick William McGann, and they were married on May 17, 1952. Together they built a family and had seven children.

With most of her children in school, our mother went back to the workforce at Skyline High School cafeteria as a cashier until she retired. She enjoyed the staff and students. This definitely put some excitement in her life listening to all the happenings going on at the school. It was like being a fly on the wall and she loved telling us the stories.

Arlene was a passionate and active member of her Catholic Church community. She and our father, Patrick, were founding members of St. Pius X Catholic Parish. She was a member of, and dedicated, to the Saint Pius X Over 55 Club, the Ladies Society and she was also a proud member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

Our mother is preceded in death by our father Patrick, and brother, Joseph McGann. She is survived by her children: Ann Kral, Michael McGann, Teresa Vinson, Kathlene McGann, Philip McGann, John McGann. Grandchildren: Michaela Kral, Andrea Murphy, Patricia Hall, Robert McGann, Matthew McGann, Sarah Tittle, Jordan McGann and twelve great grandchildren.

When we were younger, our mother would sew clothes for us. Our sister Ann took on this love of sewing. Arlene enjoyed sewing, crocheting, cross stitch and joined the quilters club at St Pius X. She made a quilt for each one of her seven children.

As children, we will always remember her homemade cookies that rarely lasted long enough to cool before we gobbled them up. We thought she did not see us sneaking them from the cookie sheet on the table, but she always knew. And nobody will forget her Thanksgiving pies. She would stay up all night baking to make sure everybody had at least one of their favorite pies.

Later in life, one of her favorite past times was to go gambling in Oklahoma. I remember on one of our parents’ rare vacations later in life, our father took her to Las Vegas. When they got back, he had to laugh saying he could not believe how much our mother loved the penny “slot machines” and all the noise. Like she did not get enough noise from us seven kids growing up.

Our mother was an avid wrestling fan. She and our grandfather bonded over wrestling and he would take our mother with him to the events at the Sportatorium in Dallas. Fritz Von Erich the (“iron claw”) was her favorite as she went to high school with him. This wrestling tradition continued on with her and our brothers, Mike and John.

As a devoted homemaker and parent, she dedicated her life to creating a home for her family which provided us with unconditional love and support.

Our mother’s greatest joy came from spending time with her family. We were blessed with a most dedicated, loving and kind mother. She will be greatly missed but will remain in our hearts forever.

A visitation for Arlene will be held Monday, April 7th, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Sparkman-Crane Funeral Home followed by a rosary at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will occur Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Dallas followed by a luncheon from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Calvary Hill Cemetery at 3235 Lombardy Ln, Dallas, TX 75220