Mary Anne Chaky, age 81, passed away in Burbank, California on May 17, 2024. Mary Anne was born in Torrance, California on July 8, 1942 to Mary and Ernest Chaky. She was raised in the San Fernando Valley where she was a member of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church.
She graduated from Alemany High School in Mission Hills, and at some point, she spent a couple of years at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. She loved to dance, and worked as a dance instructor at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in the San Fernando Valley as a young woman.
Mary Anne loved people and loved to travel. She spent a number of years traveling from place to place working in upscale dinner houses in several popular vacation spots including the 1962 World=s Fair in Seattle, Washington, Palm Springs and Lake Tahoe. She eventually returned to the San Fernando Valley area and worked for many years as a server in Toluca Lake where she met Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and other Hollywood stars. Mary Anne was always a hard worker, and was loved by everyone she met.
Mary Anne spent several years as CEO of a machine shop in the San Fernando Valley, and then began traveling to all corners of America working for CNA Financial Corporation, handling insurance claims for natural disasters. She met new friends all along the way that led to lifelong friendships throughout the United States. She also traveled to Japan on three occasions, taking her daughter Gina with her on the first trip. The trip to Japan with her Mom became one of Gina=s fondest memories.
In more recent years, Mary Anne and Gina drove together on cross-country road trips across America enjoying the sights, seeing interesting places, and visiting family and friends. They made memorable trips to Maui, Manhattan, and they took a Caribbean cruise together and celebrated Gina=s 40th birthday in Jamaica. Another one of Mary Anne=s most memorable trips was with her good friend Fay to Costa Rica. Not one to miss a big event, in August 2017, Mary Anne traveled all the way to Tennessee just to witness the total eclipse of the sun.
Mary Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Mary Susan Chaky and Ernest Benjamin Chaky. She is survived by her beloved daughter Gina DeGies; step-daughter Toni Heylek; brother John Chaky; sisters Susan Orr, Erna Evans, and Loretta Leko; nieces Becky Chaky, Kristy Heiden, and Mary Alice Orr; nephews Steve Chaky, and Alex Leko; and several great nieces and nephews.
Private services will be announced at a later date.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.11.1