Mary T Knowles

Mary Therese Bridget MacAulay Knowles February 23, 1929 - May 14, 2020 How does one say goodbye to the matriarch of our huge family in the midst of a pandemic that restricts us from doing so? We are left with memories and words to share, hoping and praying that her transition wasn't too lonely and painful, and that she saw the love of God and her family waiting for her on the other side. She spent the last several years really missing her original family and longed for the day she would reunite with them once again. Your desire has come true, Mom. Now, it's our turn to wait. Mary was born on February 23, 1929 just after midnight in Revere, Massachusetts to Isabelle Ryan MacAulay and Francis MacAulay, who learned soon after her birth that his watch was five minutes fast. All of Mary's life, she would remind us that her birthday was really on the 22nd. She was feisty and full of life while also contemplative and a prayer warrior for those who asked. She enjoyed life and its adventures and had a difficult time if something wasn't coming down the bend to shake things up a bit. Mary grew up in a feisty Irish and Scottish home near Boston, Massachusetts, where she would tell stories about how her mother would get so mad at her dad that her mom would throw plates at him. As a result, her father would start crying because his feelings were hurt, which as a child, Mary found fascinating since her father held such a powerful position at work. Mary had three brothers and one sister, and was the longest living of them all. She lost her brother, Bill, to pneumonia when she was just five years old, and much of her life was shaped by this loss. He was her favorite brother, her playmate and protector, and the loss was tragic to her family and created a great depression in her own home. She also grew up in the midst of the Great Depression of the 1930's and would tell stories about how they would ration groceries and how stockings were so very difficult to find; she and every other woman would stitch and repair them as often as needed to make them last. She would tell stories about how her father would gather with the other men in the community and climb up on their rooftops in the evening, standing guard, waiting and watching for Germany to attack. As a teen, she and her family relished vacations to Hampton Beach. Her love for the ocean came early in life, with memories of fun and family at the beach. These memories and love for the beach carried through with her for her entire life. Her last visit to Cape Cod in 2012 included daily visits to the beach, where hours were spent overlooking the surf, taking it all into her soul and letting her spirit rest. On the day of her Confirmation with the Catholic Church, at 13 years of age, Mary added the name, "Bridget," to her full name, which was a tradition at the time. She loved the name Bridget and felt it added some glamour to her name. As a young adult, she loved the sounds of Frank Sinatra and could be found crying while listening to his music as an older woman, reminiscing her youth. After graduating High School, Mary earned her secretarial degree at Boston College. She learned all the skills to become a great secretary, including shorthand, which she used her entire life. Her kids would see notes and grocery lists written in shorthand and had no idea what any of it meant. It was a great way to hide secrets, such as what Santa was bringing to each of us each year! She took that knowledge and worked for GE in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where she caught the eye of her soon to become husband, Lou Knowles. Mary loved living the city life as a single person and had wonderful memories of saving up an entire month's wages to buy a fur coat to keep her warm during the cold Northeastern winters. She lived in a Boarding House with many other single women and would return to see her parents each weekend in Boston. She enjoyed dating and dancing until she met Lou, who became her dancing partner for the next 31 years. Mary and Lou started a family immediately, which she gave credit to the Catholic Church and the Rhythm Method. Yes, we heard that joke told every time somebody commented on her having six kids - right up until the end. (Her doctors found her hilarious.) Mary loved raising her first three little girls with her parents and sister nearby and living in her family home in Westminster, Massachusetts. When Lou landed a job in the Seattle area, working for the Boeing Company, it was extremely difficult for her to make that move 3,000 miles away from her family, but she did. Living in Issaquah, Mary and Lou had three more children, two sons and another daughter, and all eight of them could be considered homesteaders in today's world. Mary loved to sew, knit, garden and cook. She was famous for making Halloween costumes and just about anything else she set her mind to. She instilled values into her children, and her home and children were her priority. During the Charismatic Movement of the 1970's, Mary became very involved in Ministry and Prayer Meetings. She was a gifted prayer warrior and would pray over people who requested hands-on praying and would speak life into them. She made some beautiful life-long friends during that time that were instrumental in her life and some of her closest connections up until the end. She cherished those friends deeply. She had spiritual gifts that were valued and appreciated by those who were receivers of such input God laid upon her heart during prayer. She could be seen daily, sitting in her chair with her Bible in hand, and a list of those she was praying for. She was devout in her faith and a power to be reckoned with, although she never boasted about these things nor maybe even knew or realized her gift. It was a private affair for her. She loved the beautiful mystery of God and never was one to put Him in a box, as she'd been taught to do growing up. Mary and Lou's marriage ended after 31 years. It was a very sad time for her family, but Mary had a spirit for adventure and wanted to see and do more in the world after raising her kids. She returned to secretarial work and worked at Microsoft at its inception, then moved on to work at The Boeing Company for 10 years, until she retired there. Early in her retirement, she visited Europe a couple of times, exploring and enjoying her roots in Scotland and Ireland. She volunteered her time, cuddling and comforting babies who were born to addicted mothers, as they weaned off the drugs in their system. Mary always wanted to be serving a greater purpose, which grew to be frustrating as she became older, and opportunities were few to none. She never wanted "to be one of those people who watch TV all day," which she even resisted at 91. Into her retirement years, Mary was told that she would likely be going blind soon due to Macular Degeneration, as her mother had, and decided to pursue her dream of moving back to Cape Cod, Massachusetts before that might happen. There, she enjoyed a few years and a community that she loved being a part of. She was involved in a Newcomers group, who met and socialized often, traveled a bit in the area, and enjoyed reading books together. She warmly welcomed her kids each time they came for a visit… and there was always lobster to be had. What a gift that was for us all. Mary decided after a few years, it was time to return to her family with most of her vision still intact. Mary moved a few times before she found the home that she loved in Enumclaw. She enjoyed the small community, pool-walking with a group of friends a few times a week, and gardening in the rich soil. She planted trees and enjoyed looking out of her bedroom window at all the beauty she'd planted and how everything was growing. Her children built a gazebo in her backyard for her 85th birthday, which was like sitting in Heaven for her; honeysuckle growing beside her, hummingbirds visiting, and a view of Mount Rainier. She planned on and hoped that it would be her last home, but her memory and health had their way, and she spent the last three years in a retirement home in Issaquah, closer to most of her friends and family. Mary is survived by her six children, Louise, Kathy, Sue, Bill, Chris and Mike, her twelve grandchildren, Joe, Dan, Adam, Chris, Stefan, Nick, Sandy, Morgan, Parker, Foster, Isabelle and Ryan, and her great-granddaughter, Olivia. Mary didn't want a formal funeral, but instead to honor and celebrate the life that she lived. She will be missed by all who love her.