Mary Catherine Vranizan

Mary Catherine McNally Vranizan passed away the morning of Saturday, January 21st, surrounded by her loving family. Mary was born September 12th 1930 to parents Hugh McNally and Catherine Mary McNally at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Having lost her parents at a young age, she was raised by her grandmother, Mary Catherine Hogl and loving aunts, Grace Hogl and Margaret York in Northwest Portland. She attended Cathedral Grade School and St. Mary’s Academy, 1948. Mary studied at University of Portland’s School of Nursing at St. Vincent’s, the hospital in which she was born and where she would ultimately meet her husband and former patient, Edward Vranizan. Ed and Mary were married April 25, 1953 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. They spent the subsequent six decades raising their family together, still managing to find the time to explore the world. In total, they visited thirty countries on four continents — always together. Mary harbored a lifelong love for the arts and was a patron of the Portland Art Museum and the Oregon Symphony. She supported her family’s artistic endeavors at all turns and was rarely without a camera herself. She read avidly and was clever enough to do the NY Times crossword every day except days she couldn’t. Her knowledge of the City of Portland was only surpassed by her love for it. She recognized the threat of development encroaching into the Columbia River Gorge and worked alongside Nancy Russel, to establish the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Throughout her lifetime Mary had great affection for golf, tennis, gardening and bridge. Mary will be forever remembered for the sharpness of her wit and the warmth of her heart. She is survived by her loving husband Edward Vranizan Sr., brothers Jack McNally and Bob McNally, sons Edward Vranizan Jr. and Robert Vranizan and daughters Kate Home, Peggy Longo and Patsy Bock and twelve grandchildren.