Osage County, Oklahoma, Obituary:  Mary Kathleen Young

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
The Hominy News - Progress
P.O. Box 38, Hominy, Okla 74035
Transcribed by Sharon Hamilton: sharkay@cccexpress.com
Return to Osage County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/osage/osage.htm
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The Hominy News - Progress
Vol. 33, No. 23
Wednesday, June 6, 2001
Page 5

Mary Kathleen Young

Mary Kathleen (Thornton) Young, a member of the Osage-Cherokee Indian 
Nations, died Thurs., May 31, 2001 at 6:10 p.m. in the Jane Phillips 
Medical Center in Bartlesville.  She was 60 years old.

Mary was born Sept. 29, 1940 in Hominy, to Wiley G. and Cecelia (Red Eagle) 
Thornton.  She attended Tulsa and Barnsdall Schools and graduated in 1959 
from Barnsdall high School, receiving the Daughters of the American 
Revolution award, State Honor Society.  She continued her education at 
Stephens College, Columbia, MO, University of Colorado, Boulder, Co, and 
graduated from the University of Oklahoma, Norman with a B.S. in Education.  
Mary was a high school English teacher in the Hominy, Pawhuska, Fairfax, 
Tulsa and Albuquerque, NM school systems.  In later years she moved to 
Albuquerque, NM, lived there for 21 years and became an entrepreneur.  
Mary owned Red Eagle Enterprises, Inc.

Perhaps her greatest role was the "oldest" grandchild of Harry and Mary 
Red Eagle Sr.  In the Osage tradition, the younger grandchildren looked to 
her leadership and support.  Mary never met a stranger, she would light up 
a room.

Survivors include three brothers and sister-in-laws, James P. Thornton, 
Bartlesville, Wiley S. and Diane Thornton, New York, NY, Rogers Thornton, 
Oklahoma City; three sisters and brother-in-laws, Nema and Rich Magovern, 
Fairhaven, NJ, Sandra Maker, Denise and Joe Keene, Pawhuska, Uncle Harry 
Red Eagle, Jr., Mary also had a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and 
friends.

Her parents Wiley G. and Cecelia Thornton, grandparents Harry and Mary Red 
Eagle Sr. and also a brother, preceded Mary in death.

Osage Indian funeral rites were held Tues., May 5, 2001 at 8 a.m. at the 
home of Joe and Denise Keene, Pawhuska, with Edward Red Eagle, Jr. 
officiating.  Funeral Mass was held at 10 a.m. in the Immaculate Conception 
Catholic in Pawhuska.  Father Leonard Higgins officiated.  Pallbearers 
were James P. Thornton, Wiley S. Thornton, Rogers Thornton, Harry Roy Red 
Eagle, Joe Wiley and Billy Ray Keene.  Interment was in the A. J. Powell 
Memorial Cemetery in Hominy.

Mary was a beautiful person.  Her motto was "Life is no brief candle to me.  
It is a splendid torch, which I shall carry until passing it on to the next 
generation."  She is home at last.
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