BYRON – Mary Elizabeth Mandzen, 82, of Byron, passed away on Nov. 5, 2020. Born on Dec.8, 1937 in Oustic, Ontario Canada to the parents of James and Loretto (Beechinor) Synnott.
Mary attended Rockwood Fergus Public Highschool Ontario and graduated in1955. From that point she started her passion by attending and graduating from St. Joseph Nursing School obtaining her bachelor’s degree. While Mary worked in British Columbia, she met her soon to be husband Robert Mandzen, who was in the army on a long weekend visiting Canada from Tacoma, Washington. She started her nursing career at St. Anthony’s, then continued her passion to help others at the Goldie B. Floberg Center. Mary ended her nursing career at Rocvale Children’s Home where she retired from. While Mary enjoyed knitting, journaling and playing all sorts of card games, but most of all cherished her time with her friends and family.
Survived by her husband, Robert; children, Michael (Kathleen) and Sarah; grandchildren, Erin, Andrew and Matthew; siblings, Bill (Marg), Thomas, Denise, Fred (Helen), and Sheila (Charlie) MacInnis. Predeceased by her brothers Leo (Lucy) and Barry; and brother-in-law, Henry, husband of Denise.
A walk-through visitation was held from 4-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 220 E. 2nd Street, Byron. A Mass of Christian Burial was held, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Memorials may be made to St. Vincent Depaul at St. Mary’s Catholic Church or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, TN, 38105 or Rocvale Children’s Home, 4450 N. Rockton Ave., Rockford, IL, 61103. To share a memory or condolence, visit olsonfh.com.
