She was the second child born to John Joseph Cronin and Mary Eutella (Duncan) Cronin. She had one brother, Ed, and two sisters, Pat and Margret. They have all preceded her in death.
“We were dirt poor but had fun. My bathing suit was cut-off overalls and a tee shirt. We swam in the big canal. One day a cow floated down. We all got out of the water and counted to 100 to let the cow and germs float by.
Elementary school was K through 8th. We all had blue caps & gowns. High school was fun too. I graduated in 1944 from Pocatello High. Wore the same cap & gown, again! I then signed up for the Cadet Nursing Corp for three years in Salt Lake City, Utah. Getting an RN diploma in 1947.
In training we lived in two, twelve bed dorms on the 3rd floor of the hospital. The girls would sunbathe on the porch – with and without clothes. Small airplanes made flyovers! Graduating 1947.
Graduating in 1947 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
I met Calvin Camp (Nick) Phillips in 1947 and we were married on January 29, 1948, in Salt Lake City, Utah at Saint Patrick's Church. It was a short ceremony. The young Priest looked like he should go back to bed. With green ink, he wrote Pocatello Mary (scratch, scratch) Mary on our Marriage Certificate, but it lasted 70 years and 9 months!
Nick and I built two little houses in Bountiful, Utah. He was transferred to El Paso, Texas for 4 years and then to Denver for 20 years. I worked in a doctor’s office during these 20 years. I did Public Health Nursing. During this time, we built our cabin in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado which we retired to.
Nick fell in deep snow while shoveling and couldn’t get up. He had to “swim” in the snow to reach the porch so he could pull himself up. So, we decided to sell, and moved to Loveland, Colorado in a condo that we fixed up perfectly. Then on to Senior Living in Loveland. Nick fell and broke his arm and was finally hospitalized, we lost Nick on October, 28, 2018. I then moved into Assisted Living in Greeley, Colorado. There, I tripped and broke my leg. With a brace on my leg, it slipped and caused a huge sore on my foot. Many trips to the wound care unit. I landed at Fair Acres, now on to Berthoud, Colorado.
I have many happy memories of children, family, friends, and coworkers during my long life.
Farewell, I’ll see you in Heaven.”
Mary is survived by her youngest son, Joe (Kayce), Hot Springs, SD. Daughter, Carol Engsberg, Sydney, NE. Daughter-In-Law, Kay Phillips, Milliken, CO. Six grandchildren, Cliff, Justin, Jimmy (Laurel) Phillips, Joyce and Danny Engsberg, Lisa (Joey) Hassen, and 9 Great-Grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her son, Steve, in 2006.
There will be a visitation for Mary on Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. A Liturgy of the Word will be Friday, March 1, 2024 at 11:00 a.m., both at Stoddard Funeral Home, 3205 W. 28th Street, Greeley, Colorado, 80634. Mary will be laid to rest Friday, March 1, 2024 at Greenlawn Cemetery, County Rd 1 & E State Hwy 56, Berthoud, Colorado, 80513.
