Mary Florence McGowen Hafner

Mary Florence McGowan Hafner, born May 4, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois, passed away June 19, 2012 at the age of 90 after a short illness. Mary was raised on the South side of Chicago by Irish immigrant parents, John and Anna Flemming McGowan. She attended Calumet High School and graduated from the Chicago School of Business. In 1943 she married the love of her life, WWII Army Aviation Pilot, Joseph Hafner. Together, Mary and Joe raised seven sons and one daughter. Mary was known for her red hair, fantastic legs, unconditional love of her family, exceptional ability of making her home the hub of family activities, and always having a smile and open arms for her legacies. She loved Godiva chocolates, Hafner wine, and her children. When all of her children were raised she began a 25 year career at Kmart. At the insistence of her children she retired at the age of 75.

She is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Joe and Merrill of Houston; Mary Kaye of Katy; Daniel of Austin; Stanley and Johanna of Austin; Stephen of Austin, Raymond and Rebecca of Katy; daughter and son-in-law Tana and Thomas Burton of Friendswood; 21 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Joseph Albert Hafner, sons Albert William and John Francis, brother John McGowan, and sisters Roseann Quattrocki and Patricia Kirk.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 22, 2012 at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home Chapel with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Rite of Committal at Memorial Oaks Cemetery to follow. Pallbearers will be the grandsons of Mary and Joseph Hafner: John Michael Hafner, Stephen Hafner, Ryan Hafner, Daniel Hafner, Marc Hafner, William Burton, Bryan Burton, and Nathaniel Hafner. Honorary pallbearer is Basil Hafner.

The family requests that in lieu of usual remembrances, contributions be made to The Irish Society of Houston, P.O. Box 820010, Houston, Texas 77282-0010 in the name of Mary McGowan Hafner or the charity of your choice. The family would like to give appreciation to St. Catherine’s Hospital in Katy, Texas for the loving compassionate care given to this special Irish woman and matriarch of the Hafner family.