Mary Catherine Kennedy Sloan

Mary Catherine Kennedy Sloan passed away 10/12/2017 peacefully in her sleep at her home of 65 years in Aurora, Colorado after a short illness. She was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Denver on August 30, 1926 to Patrick and Ethel (Girardot) Kennedy, the 4th of 6 children. Mary was very proud of her Colorado Pioneer Heritage. She was a 4th generation Coloradoan. Her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were ranchers/farmers in what is now Aurora and miners in the Colorado Rockies. Her early childhood was spent on the Kennedy Family Homestead in southeast Aurora. Her family moved to Denver where she attended Catholic schools, graduating from Cathedral High School in 1944. She worked at Clark’s Religious Goods Store following graduation. In 1948, her good friend and future sister-in-law Betty Bright introduced Mary to Betty’s brother Allen (Bud) Francis Sloan. After a courtship that included dancing at the Elitch Garden Trocadero Ballroom and a trip to California to meet several Sloan relatives, Mary and Allen were married on April 23, 1949. They were married for 55 years until Bud’s death in February 2005. They lived in west Denver for 3 years before moving to Aurora. They raised 5 daughters in their Aurora home. They were original members of St. Pius Tenth Parish. Mary loved playing cards particularly poker. She played with several card groups including a potluck couples group, St. Josephs Circle, and Gateway High School coworkers. She played poker a least once a month with some of the same women for more than 60 years. Some of her daughters’ fondest memories are the road trips the family took every summer including California several times, camping trips and day trips in the Colorado Rockies, and trips to neighboring states to see natural and historic sites. Mary and Bud were members of Ports of Call where they traveled frequently including Caribbean cruises, trips to Bronco Games, and several trips outside the country including 3 mystery trips. She was an unsurpassed hostess and entertainer even in her last days. She made sure everyone was comfortable, nourished, and ‘beveraged’ in her home. Parties included huge family gatherings, gatherings with her close circle of friends, and Bronco parties. The greatest tribute to Mary was one year ago at her well-attended 90th Birthday Celebration. She instilled in her daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren great strength, honesty, and how to be a good friend and a good parent. She will forever be remembered for her sense of humor, making people smile, and roaring with laughter. She is preceded in death by her husband Allen, an infant daughter, her parents, all of her siblings and their spouses: Peg Wilson, John and Lois Kennedy, Pat and Jeanne Kennedy, Gladys and John Haberkorn, Leo and Marty Kennedy, and several in-laws. She is survived by 5 daughters: Kathy Carlson, Peggy Sloan, Janet (Ed) Darcher, Trish (Robert) Elmore, and Mary Alice (Tom) Shinners; 10 grandchildren: Carrie (Jonathan) Jolly, Allen (Micha) Elmore, Jack (Margaret) Darcher, Chris Carlson, Andy (Carly) Darcher, Nora (Tim Fry) Darcher, Spencer (Lianne Dubick) Elmore, Colleen Weaver, Alana Darcher, and Daniel Shinners; 5 great grandsons: Michale Elmore, Max Jolly, Jude Elmore, Harris Darcher, and David Jolly; in-laws: Delores Sloan, Charlene Sloan, Annie and Denny Finley; multiple generations of nieces and nephews; and many friends and neighbors. Visitation 6:00-7:00 pm and Rosary 7:00 pm: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at Horan & McConaty HeartLight Center, 11150 E Dartmouth Ave. Aurora, CO 80014. Funeral Mass: 10:00 am, Thursday October 19, 2017, St. Pius Tenth Parish, 13670 E. 13th Place, Aurora, CO. Internment at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, 3698 S Sheridan Blvd. Denver, CO 80236, Staging Area B, 10/19, 2:30 pm. We had a phenomenal relationship with Divine Hospice. The family requests contributions be made to Divine Hospice Palliative Care, 10200 E Girard Ave suite, D-140, Denver, CO 80231.