Mary Kaye (Mares) Happ 65 of LaSalle passed away unexpectedly at OSF St. Elizabeth Hospital Peru Emergency Room on May 9th. Cremation rites have been accorded. A memorial mass will be Saturday May 17th at noon at St. Hyacinth Church. The Very Reverends Fr. Tom Otto Pastor of St. John Baptist De LaSalle Parish, and Fr. Paul Carlson Pastor of Holy Family Church of Oglesby will officiate. She will be laid to rest at Valley Memorial Park Cemetery in Spring Valley. A memorial visitation will be in the church on Saturday from 9:00 until noon.
She was born July 21, 1959 at St. Margaret Hospital Spring Valley to Alfred C. and Donna (Hobneck) Slatner.
She married Larry Happ on July 6th, 1996 at St. Joseph Church in Peru.
She worked for her father at Formhals Purity Drug Store in LaSalle where she inherited several enlightening tales for future telling. Her greatest calling and her one and only dream was to be being an educator in which she fulfilled for thirty-nine years. From her first year being hired by St. Hyacinth School as pre school teacher to next thirty-eight years in first grade. She never left Catholic Education. From starting with St. Hyacinth, to LaSalle Catholic, to Trinity Catholic, and her story book ending at Holy Family School in Oglesby. Along the way she would always refer to her first-grade students as her “babies”. While educating them she would introduce them to her Mickey and Minnie Mouse themed classroom.
She enjoyed each summer planting her flowers, putting her palm trees along the pool, and rafting in her pool. She took great pride in decorating her home for each season and holiday. Her and Sally, affectionally called by her “little sistor”, inherited this trait through their mom. She loved following her two nieces whom she named “Rose Bud” and “Buggy” in their endeavors. Throughout her life she loved her four-legged family members. Growing up with Dusty, to her own Bailey Jo, and she called her nephews Harley, Magnum, and Oakley.
She is survived by: her husband of twenty-eight years, one sister Sally (Simon) Kampwerth Jr. of Peru, two nieces; Josie (fiancée Kyle Quick) Kampwerth, and Avary Kampwerth. brother in-law Terry (Frances) Happ. Nephews; Drs. Christopher (Erin) Happ, Steven (Alexis) Happ, Niece; Jenna Happ. sister in-law; Carrie (Charles) Dean, nephew; Michael (Amber) Dean, many great nieces, and nephews, several cousins.
She is preceded in death by: her parents.
On line condolences may be expressed at www.burgessfh.com
In lieu of flowers memorials maybe directed to the family for her favorite charities.
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