Mary Jean Drapela

1928 – 2025

Mary Jean Drapela passed away at the age of ninety-seven in early June 2025 at Boone Ridge Senior Living Community in Salem, OR. Her mother died when Mary Jean was four years of age and she was then raised by her maternal grandmother in Sublimity, OR. After graduating from Salem High School, she worked for the State of Oregon where she met her husband, Joe, and together they raised four children. She was proceeded in death by Joe to whom she was married for sixty-eight years.

Mary Jean and Joe, committed to their family, provided their children with Catholic educations. All their children took some combination of tap, ballet, and acrobatic classes, plus music lessons. Then there were the annual family vacations in the packed-to-the-gills Ford station wagon.

Mary Jean held a number of volunteer and paid positions while raising her four children. In Salem, she worked at St. Joseph Catholic School, Blanchet High School, and was on the faculty at Sacred Heart Academy. In Stayton, OR she worked at Regis High School and St. Mary Catholic School. She also worked for Marion County Elections during various election cycles.

In her spare time, she enjoyed participating in her children’s and grandchildren’s numerous activities, taking dancing lessons with Joe, and sewing her children’s many costumes for dance recitals.

Mary Jean and Joe were founding members of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Salem and after Mary Jean moved to Boone Ridge, she continued her involvement in the church through the church’s outreach ministry.

The surviving family members include children, Debbie, Gary, Karen, Scot, and grandchildren, Nathan, Taylor, Nicole, and Danica.

Mary Jean’s family sincerely appreciates Alycia and her team at Boone Ridge Senior Living Community who showed great care, compassion, and love during the last five years of her life. The family is also very appreciative of Bristol Hospice for their care in her last days. A special thank you goes to Frannie McMahon, Queen of Peace’s outreach minister, who brought weekly Eucharist to Mary Jean and others at Boone Ridge.

A funeral Mass will be held on June 19 at 11:00 am at Queen of Peace Catholic Church. She will be interred with her husband, Joe, at Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR.