Mary Helen McGuinness, 85, passed peacefully to be in the arms of the Lord February 27th in San Antonio, TX. She was born December 7, 1934 in Luzerne County, PA to William James and Alice Burisky James. The family would later settle in Bronx, NY. She attended St. Jean the Baptist High School and graduated 1952. She later met William Joseph McGuinness and they married August 25, 1956. Soon after they started a family and moved to Kearny, NJ to raise their three daughters Kim, Diane and Beth, and their two sons Timothy and Kerry. In 1964, they decided to venture west and moved to St. Louis. A few years later son Gregg was born.
It was in St. Louis that Mary was a volunteer Girl Scout troop leader after encouraging her young daughters to join, and started her long, successful career at JC Penney’s. She continued working when the family moved to San Antonio in 1971. Following JC Penney’s, she spent many years at Super X, followed by JC Penney’s Payment Processing Center until her retirement.
As a young girl in school learning about the Gold Rush, Mary always had dreams of one day going to Alaska. As luck would have it the United States Air Force sent her son-in-law Steven and her eldest daughter Kim to an assignment in none other than Anchorage, Alaska. That dream came true - she was able to visit Alaska many times and even accompanied Kim on her drive back up the ALCAN to Alaska in 1998 during, you guessed it - the 100th anniversary of the Gold Rush!
Mary loved the Irish and the Irish Blessing “May the Road Rise up to Meet You” and dreamt of going to Ireland. As luck would have it her dream came true after many years of planning with Diane, Ken, and Taryn. They loved the beautiful countryside, Irish Pubs, churches, old cemeteries, and enjoying Guinness Beer!
After retiring Mary dabbled in the arts. She loved to create a picture with chalks and occasionally acrylics. She longed to write a novel about her life. She enjoyed sewing and sewed clothing for all her daughters during their school years. She also knitted and crocheted. And she loved to sing and had a beautiful voice. Her daughter Beth inherited this beautiful artistic side of mom and loved to see all her creations. When Beth took up tatting it brought back many memories of mom’s childhood when her mother and sisters would do the same.
Mary was an avid sports fan - she loved Spurs basketball, the Green Bay Packers, baseball and golf. Guess all those years growing up and working at Yankee Stadium and being married to Bill spurred her interest in sports. At any given time when any kid called home, they would hear some sports venue on the TV in the background. She had ongoing friendly bets with Tim, Kerry and Gregg. She also enjoyed fishing and spending quiet times with family at Valentine Lodges at Lake LBJ.
Mary was a devout Christian with a very strong Catholic faith. She enjoyed giving of herself to each parish she was a member of. In St. Louis, she laundered the linens for St. Norbert’s Parish, and did the same at St. Thomas More upon moving to San Antonio. Later, she would teach the Right of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and for 16 years helped many people in their journey to join the Catholic faith.
Mary lived life to the fullest and was most proud of her family. She was blessed with several grandchildren that she loved and adored ~ Taryn Moore, James McGuinness, Caitlin McGuinness, Shane McGuinness, William Schoelzel, and was recently blessed to learn she had another grandson James Orcutt, adopted early in life to another family but found us, his biological family, who added two beautiful great grand babies Lottie Ann and Sophie.
Mary is preceded in death by her husband William Joseph McGuinness, daughter Diane Moore, parents William and Alice James; her sisters Alice Yankowski and Leona Flanagan Bugnacki; and her brothers Walter and Gerald James.
Mary is survived by her daughter Kim and husband Steven Skipper, daughter Beth and her husband Peter McClain, son Tim and his wife Susan, son Kerry and his wife Lupe, son Gregg and his wife Cecilia; grandchildren Taryn Moore, James McGuinness, Caitlin McGuinness, Shane McGuinness, William Schoelzel, and James Orcutt and his wife Rebecca; great-grandchildren Charlotte “Lottie” Ann and Sophie; and many nieces and nephews throughout the country.
Visitation March 8th from 5p-8p & Rosary 6:00p
Sunset Funeral Home
1701 Austin Hwy
San Antonio, TX 78218
Funeral & Internment March 9th
St. Thomas More Catholic Church @ 11:00am
4411 Moana Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78218
Holy Cross Cemetery @ 12:30pm
17501 Nacogdoches Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78266
