Mary Ann Stackpole

Our much beloved mom and grammy, Mary Ann Murphy Stackpole, joined her husband of 64 years, Jerry Stackpole, in Heaven on December 7, 2023 at the age of 87 in Monroe, Washington. Mary was born in Davenport, WA on June 22, 1936. She grew up on the Murphy Ranch in Lincoln County Washington during the Great Depression and WWII. Times were tough but her memories were always fond. Mary loved sharing stories of all the mischief she and her three sisters got up to. She worked hard in high school so she could achieve her dream of going to Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane. She met many lifelong friends there, and shared many hilarious stories. It was a start of a nursing career that lasted over 50 years.

Shortly after graduating from Sacred Heart in 1957, Mary met Jerry Stackpole. She always told us it was love at first sight and she’d never seen a man so tall or handsome. They were married on July 18, 1959 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Davenport. They had four children and many adventures together. They built a home in Monroe, WA in 1971 and lived there the rest of their lives. They were deeply in love and were besotted with each other until the day Jerry passed, just 2 months ago.

Mary was the best mom & grammy anyone could ask for. Her family felt absolutely cherished every moment they were with her. We often heard her singing and humming as she did work around the house – she enjoyed singing even until her final days. She loved sewing, coffee, traveling, country music, and dessert. Mary had a direct way of speaking, uncanny insight into what made people tick, and an irreverent sense of humor. You could not leave her presence without more wisdom or stitch in your side from laughing. She exercised daily and made all of her own food from scratch – often using vegetables that Jerry grew. She volunteered in many organizations and was the President of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Monroe and held VFW District offices. She also volunteered as a Hospice Nurse, a Voter Registrar, with the funeral community at St. Mary of the Valley Catholic Church, the Monroe Historical society, and the Wagner Community Club.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband Jerry Stackpole, her dearly loved mother and father Blanche (Cook) Murphy and Joe Murphy, older sister Irene (Murphy) Ehlers, and her younger twin sisters Barbra and Beverly Murphy.

Mary is survived by her four children Susan (Brad) Lauer of Startup, Wash.; Karen (Clyde) Jelinek of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.; Steven (Ginger) Stackpole, Monroe, Wash; Janet (Nick) Callahan of Edmonds, Wash. She is survived by eight grandchildren – Danielle, Jerry, Derek, Trish, Lauren, Andy, Henry, and Nicholas; as well as six great-grandchildren – Brian, Braxton, Emery, Becket, Isabel, and Oliver.

Mary will be deeply missed. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her name to the Alzheimer's Association. She lived with this disease for 10 years and Jerry was her loving, remarkable caregiver until he took his last breath. Our family’s deepest wish is to find a cure for the awful disease that took Mary from us.

Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter: 19031 33rd Ave W Suite 301 Lynnwood, WA 98036

All are invited on January 2, 2024 to St. Mary of the Valley Catholic Church at 601 W. Columbia St. Monroe, Washington. There will be a Rosary at 10:30am, with a Funeral Mass at 11am, followed by a reception at the church.

Mary and Jerry will be interred together at Tahoma National Cemetery.