Mary Rose Bodnar

Mary Rose Bodnar joined her beloved husband, Andrew, and granddaughter, Hannah, on Sunday morning, February 9, 2014 (Just shy of her 99th birthday) with her daughters by her side. She was born Mariska Csuhai in Sarud, Hungary on Mary 18, 1915. The beautiful little blonde haired girl entered the U.S. through Ellis Island with her parents, Paul and Margit and they made their home in Detroit, Michigan. She sang and danced through her young life and married her first love, Andrew Bodnar. They danced together happily for over 60 years, until Andrew's death in 1999. After retiring from her job at Bowers Ambulance, Mary joined her new family - the people whom she loved and worked with at Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, where she volunteered for over 35 years. Mary continued volunteering there until the age of 96 bringing cookies and joy, working in the marketing office, and enjoying each second she was there. She was so proud to be named Volunteer of the Year in 2001! Mary was a loving, strong, feisty, happy, generous, and joyous woman who was involved with her church, baking amazing Hungarian pastries, made lap robes for the elderly, and enjoyed life as she lived it. She is survived by her daughters, Marilynn, Andrea and her husband, Lou Lawrence, her grandchildren, Andrew Bodnar, Min Ok and Joey Lawrence, great-grandchildren, Andrea and Baby Louis, numerous nieces and nephews, and her loving caregivers, Hannah, Leianne, and Maryann. She will be missed and forever loved. One of Mary's great loves was Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, and the work that is done there. In lieu of flowers, the family requests remembrances be sent in her name to Memorial Medical Center Foundation, 2801 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806, attn: Jim Normandin. The foundation disperses funds to the places of greatest need; those things that were of great importance to Mary as they are to all of us. Thank you! Visitation is Sunday; 1 - 3 pm at the Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Chapel and funeral Mass is Monday, 10 am at St. Pancratius Catholic Church.

Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Mortuary (562) 425-6401