Mary A. Holden

A Memorial Visitation for will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2015, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Church, 1201 E. Anderson Drive, Palatine, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 am.  The Internment at St. Adalbert’s Cemetery will be private.  A luncheon to celebrate Mary Ann’s life will immediately follow the service at the church.

On August 13, 2015, Mary Ann passed away peacefully in her sleep.  She was 82.  Born in Chicago to the late Honorable Judge Victor A. Kula, and Carrie Tokarz Kula, Mary Ann was an alumnus of Visitation Academy and the University of Illinois – Champaign.  She was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority.  Mary Ann graduated with a teaching degree in 1954 and soon after married the late William H. Holden, Jr.  The next several years would find Mary Ann traveling as a Navy wife, working as a substitute teacher and raising a family that grew to include 4 children.  In the midst of raising a family, she took the requisite classes to begin working as a Speech Therapist, where she practiced in Baltimore City public schools for many years.  In 1980 Mary Ann returned to the Chicago area and earned her Masters in Speech Pathology from Northern Illinois University.  After graduation, she worked helping people in nursing homes and schools with their speech and hearing problems.  She retired in 2005 but remained active as a volunteer and member of many groups and organizations including, the Read to Learn program (helping learners of english as a second language), the PADS program, (helping at the shelter for the homeless), Harper College water aerobics, and the St Thomas of Villanova Choir.  Mary Ann loved to visit family and still traveled independently up until the time of her death.

Mary Ann is survived by her four children; Bill (Lisa), Chris (Barbara), Sarah (Mike) Defnet and Peter; her grandchildren; Katie, Kristin and Morgan Holden, Christopher, William, and Lucy Wingate-Holden; and Holly, Lori and Amy Defnet.  She is also survived by her sister Dianne Stokes, step-sisters; Florence Dulak, and Vivian Kozak, along with many nieces and nephews.  She also leaves behind her one true love, Jack Mastney.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Mary Ann’s life with a donation may send it to the Read to Learn program, supported by the District 214 Community Education Foundation, 2121 South Goebbert Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.