Mary Rita Brassie

Mary Rita Brassie passed away on April 28, 2021 at the age of 56. She is survived by her brothers Tom, Greg (Lisa), Steve, David & Bill Brassie, nieces Missy (fiancé Jeff Gorman), Jennifer (Josh) Autry, Emily (Jake) Austin, two great-nieces and three great-nephews. She is preceded in death by her father Robert Brassie and her mother Dorothy (Brennan) Brassie. Mary was born on September 19, 1964 in Madison, Wisconsin. She graduated from Scecina Memorial High School in 1982 and went on to pursue multiple degrees in higher education in fields such as international studies and environmental science. She is an alumnus of Harold Washington College in Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University, and John Marshall Law School. She loved learning and had a sharp mind, in addition to being very creative. Her vibrant personality shone through in everything she did. In her professional life, Mary worked for a few years at the United States Postal Service in Indianapolis before moving to Chicago and pursuing a career in law administration. She worked for the American Bar Association for a number of years followed by almost a decade at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Among Mary’s many interests, she had a great love for animals, and in addition to her day job, she had a side job of pet sitting cats, dogs and birds for friends and referrals around Chicago. She also loved to travel and visited several countries on solo trips around the world. No culture was foreign to her and her curiosity about life and people could never be satisfied; she could find something interesting in every place she visited and every person she met. You could say she didn’t know a stranger! She also loved trying new foods and had a philosophy that you should never eat at the same restaurant twice, because there are so many to try! She greatly relished any time she got to spend in nature and she was particularly drawn to the stars. After living in Chicago for about 27 years, Mary returned to Indianapolis at the onset of her battle with cancer to be near family. She passed away peacefully in her sleep and will be missed by her family and friends. There will be a time of visitation on Friday, May 7, 2021 from 9am - 11am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, immediately followed by a funeral Mass at 11am. She will be buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Indianapolis. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Little Sisters Of The Poor or The St. Vincent de Paul Society.