“Enjoy serving the Lord, and He will give you what you want. Depend on the Lord; trust Him and He will take care of you.” Psalm 37:4-5
Mary Emélie was born January 23rd, 1951to Frank and Emily (McAnally) Witts at Pekin, Illinois. She attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and graduated from Pekin Community High School with the class of 1969.
Mary knew from sixth grade that she wanted to attend Clarke College, the all-women’s Catholic college in Dubuque, Iowa, to become a French and History high school teacher. She did so, graduating in May 1973. Teaching positions were scarce in the year after graduation, so she worked jobs substitute teaching and as a house parent at a local group home in Dubuque. In March 1974 she applied for a “temporary” service representative job at Northwestern Bell in Dubuque and was immediately hired. This “temporary” job lasted nearly 20 years with positions in systems & marketing in Dubuque Iowa, Waterloo Iowa, Davenport Iowa, Ames Iowa, Basking Ridge New Jersey (AT&T), and Omaha Nebraska.
On April 26th, 1986, having met on a blind date and dating ten years, after many career moves, Mary married the love of her life, her gentle Irishman, Patrick Francis O’Brien, son of Duane Francis and Clair (Krogman) O’Brien, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Strawberry Point, Iowa. They were blessed with Matthew Francis on October 14th, 1987, their bundle of energy and love of their lives.
Mary resigned from US West in 1993 to become a full-time Mom, which she loved and treasured each day. In 1996 she returned to part-time substitute teaching in World Languages at Waterloo Columbus Catholic High School, NU High School in Cedar Falls, and Cedar Falls High School, “retiring” in 2006.
In lieu of flowers, friends and family can make a monetary donation that will be directed to the Cedar Valley Hospice House in Waterloo.
Visitation will be held on Friday, July 31, 2026, from 4-8 pm with a 3:30 pm Parish Rosary, at the Leonard – Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Elkader, Iowa. Visitation will also be held one hour before mass time at the church on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 10:30 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Volga, Iowa.
Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Volga, Iowa.
Leaonrd-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Center is helping the family with the arrangements.