Mary Patricia Dunahay

Littleton and Colorado lost one of its finest human beings. Mary Dunahay lost her life to Pneumonia complications at Littleton Hospital on February 19, 2018. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alan and Sydney Harmon and her nephew, Alan Hutto. Mary is survived by her spouse, Patrick Dunahay; her daughter, Jordan (Brandon) McCarty and her son, Cade Dunahay; grandchildren, Madeline McCarty and MacKenzie McCarty; siblings, Beth (Jim) Jackman, Holly (Frank) Hutto, Reed Harmon, and Jill Harmon.

She was born in Hobbs, New Mexico on June 12, 1957. Her parents then settled in Littleton, Colorado when Mary was 4 years old, a city she loved and made her home. Even as a child, Mary stood out in a large family. She was definitely the smart one and always seemed older than she was. She loved mythology and off beat toys like Jane West and Creeple People. She was athletic and beautiful, with long dark hair and brilliant blue eyes. Her lovely twisted take on the world was evident early. She was incredibly artistic, musical, and her tastes were always much more sophisticated and somewhat dark. Her favorite television show was Dark Shadows, the predecessor to The Walking Dead, which was her latest favorite show. Her early musical favorites were Jethro Tull, "Sitting on a Park Bench," and the English rock band, Deep Purple. She graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1975 and continued her education at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, CO.

Mary was lucky she found her rebel soul mate, Pat Dunahay, at the young age of 16. At first her parents were uneasy about Pat, until they got to know him. She was so taken with his edgy side, hard work ethic, and the way his brain worked. They were married in 1978. They started PDA, Inc. together working out of the back of a garage on a kitchen table. She helped him every step of the way, acting as his sounding board for every idea. After 45 years together, they had a secret language and sense of humor, that only they understood. Their romance was fierce and ran deeper than words can express.

Mary became a mother at a young age. Her daughter Jordan and son Cade became the focus of her life. She was a bit unconventional at times, for instance, Jordan's first solid food was guacamole. She was very passionate about being a mother. She jumped into all of Jordan and Cade's activities with boundless enthusiasm, never missing a single thing. Whether she was being a room mother or a base coach, she did it with ingenuity, distinctiveness and flare. She handmade wildly unique costumes for talent shows, school plays and fundraising events. On the sidelines or in the bleachers, Mary was one badass mama bear. Cade and Jordan were lucky, she could out-bully a bully. Mary was even a better mother as Cade and Jordan became young adults. She was their mentor, fan and inspiration. There was no other person they would rather hang around with.

Not surprisingly, she made the transition to Grandmother with the same kind of passion and devotion. Her granddaughters Madeline and McKenzie became the brightest stars in her life. She loved the time she spent with Maddie and Kenzie. She truly cherished every moment with them, whether it be a family gathering or a wild adventure. Mary would say that many of her life's greatest moments were spent with her granddaughters.

While family was always first, as her children grew up, she began to pursue her lifelong love affair with horses. It all started when Pat gave Mary a horse named Harley. In 2008, she decided to open her own business. She purchased a small barn with a beautiful piece of property in the foothills of Littleton. Through an extensive renovation, a lot of hard work and dedication, Mary Dunahay turned Savoy Stables into a top show barn. In the 10 years of owning Savoy, Mary became a beloved and highly respected part of the horse community. Her legacy will live on in the hearts of all the people and animals that she has touched.

Mary was adored by all her family. She was truly an amazing daughter and sister. Mary was the favorite to each one of them. She was so tender, kind, and entertaining to her mother who passed away only days before her.

Mary had many friends in all phases of her life. People were just plain drawn to her. She kept childhood friends to the very end and probably made a new friend the day she passed. If you hadn't seen her awhile, it didn't matter. You caught up quickly and wished you could spend more time with her. People liked her fierce independence and the rebel in her. She wasn't afraid to take risks. And she certainly didn't try to stay within the lines. There wasn't a phony or pretentious bone in her body. She had the confidence to say take me or leave, I am who I am. To have known her and to have been loved by her was truly an honor.

There will be a Celebration of Life in honor of our beloved Mary on March 10th, 2018 from 5 to 8 o'clock in the evening, at Savoy Stables. The address is 9249 Rangeview Lane, Littleton, CO 80125. Casual attire, jeans are recommended. In lieu of gifts or flowers, please do something kind for someone else.