Mary Coletta Thesing, of Overland Park, KS, passed away peacefully at home on July 31, surrounded by her beloved family. She was 94. Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Deacon John F. “Jack” Thesing, D.O. She is survived by their five children: John A. (Cindy) Thesing of Leawood, KS; Anna Thesing Houston of Overland Park, KS; Patrick Thesing of Houston, TX; Fr. Mark Thesing, C.S.C., of Notre Dame, IN; and Margaret Thesing Banas of Ocala, FL. She also leaves behind 13 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren, all of whom brought her immense joy. Born on March 11, 1931, in Palmer, IA, Mary was the fifth of eleven children of Anna Mary Lang Ryan and John James Ryan. She is survived by two of her sisters, Karen Pawletzki of Carroll, IA, and Margaret Lilla of Ames, IA. Mary graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic School in Pocahontas, IA, and moved to Des Moines, where she began her career at Allied Mutual Insurance Company. She shared an apartment with a group of young women who remained lifelong friends. Just two blocks from their apartment was St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, where Mary attended daily Mass—and where, in October 1952, she met a medical student named Jack Thesing. They were married on July 13, 1953, at Sacred Heart Parish in Pocahontas. Their life together was rooted in faith and family. Mary and Jack welcomed their first child, John, in 1955, just weeks before Jack’s graduation from medical school. After moving to Dayton, OH, for Jack’s internship, Mary worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and welcomed four more children into their family: Anna in 1956, Patrick in 1957, Mark in 1959, and Margaret in 1965. The Thesings settled in Centerville, OH, where they became deeply involved in parish life at Incarnation Catholic Church. Mary was active in the women’s auxiliary at Grandview Hospital and supported Jack in providing free medical care at a clinic serving the Appalachian region. Together, they helped lead marriage retreats through the Cursillo movement. In 1970, the family moved to Ft. Lauderdale, FL—a favorite vacation spot that soon became home. There, Mary joined the women’s auxiliary at Doctor’s General Hospital and took on many leadership roles at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. She co-founded the parish’s ministry to the homebound and served two terms as president of the Women’s Guild. When Jack was ordained a deacon in 1991, Mary served alongside him in marriage preparation and adult faith formation. Mary’s Catholic faith was the heart of her life. She attended daily Mass throughout her life, capturing the attention of her future husband Jack, who also attended Mass daily. Over their decades together, Mary and Jack made many pilgrimages to sacred sites around the world, including the Holy Land and Medjugorje. In each place they lived, they formed lasting friendships through their service in parish and diocesan ministries. In her later years, when she could no longer attend Mass in person, Mary livestreamed Mass and the Rosary each afternoon, offering her days in prayer. Once someone was on Mary’s prayer list, they remained there—she never forgot a request. She delighted in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, encouraging them in prayer and helping prepare them for the Sacraments. In her final days, surrounded by the family she loved, Mary gently assured each visitor of her continued prayers for their intentions. Visitation will begin Tuesday, August 5, at 9:00 a.m. at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, KS, followed by a Rosary at 9:45 a.m. and a Mass of Resurrection at 10:00 a.m. with livestream available at: https://www.youtube.com/@kcascensionlive7259/featured . A Memorial Mass for Mary will be offered on September 1, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s memory may be made to Catholic Community Health: Hospice and Homecare, 16201 W 95th St., Suite 220, Lenexa, KS 66219 ( https://villasf.salsalabs.org/hospicedonation/index.html ) or the Congregation of Holy Cross, U.S. Province, P.O. Box 765, Notre Dame, IN 46556 ( https://Donate.HolyCrossUSA.org ).