Mary Teresa Cross

Mary Teresa Gilsenan was born on January 29, 1930, on a farm in Gortloney in the Irish Free State (later, the Republic of Ireland). Mary was one of fifteen children. After high school, she moved to Dublin and began a lifelong career in restaurant hospitality.

In 1954, Mary and her sister, Rose, immigrated to the United States, sponsored by their uncle in New Jersey. Later, Mary moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where she met the great love of her life, Earl Cross, who she married in 1958 and with whom she had three children. Mary and Earl lived in Petersburg, North Dakota, for many years until Earl retired in 1989 and they moved to Beaverton, Oregon, to be close to their son who was attending law school in Portland. Mary and Earl were delighted when their daughter joined the family in Oregon a couple of years later.

Mary’s greatest joys were her grandchildren, children and her second family at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Tigard where she worked for twenty-five years and was the recipient of numerous awards over that time including Employee of the Year (twice) and, most recently, a 2015 Embassy Spirit Award presented by Hilton. She was also honored by the Washington County Visitors Association with their Hospitality Hero Award. She took great pleasure in making other people happy.

Mary was preceded in death by her daughter, Patricia Jo, and her husband, Earl. She is survived by her daughter, Rita Marie Trueworthy (Nathan Trueworthy), her son, Daniel Cross (Michele Rini), her granddaughter, Siena Cross, her grandson, Aidan Trueworthy, her brothers Kit Gilsenan, Mick Gilsenan and Tom Gilsenan, and her sisters Jane McEnroe, Rose Tassone, Bridie Dolly, Olive Haughey, Liz Cahill, and Margaret Cawley.

A Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, January 20, 2016, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church 11:00am, Beaverton. Interment will be on Friday, January 22, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at Willamette National Cemetary, 11800 S.E. Mt. Scott Boulevard, Portland.