Mary Ann Coffey

Mary Ann Coffey was born in Greenville, Ky., on Sept. 10, 1940, to Clara Elizebeth and Michael Thomas Coffey.

She attended Christ the King grade school and graduated from Loretto High School, Louisville, Ky., in 1958. She attended Webster College in St. Louis, Mo., graduating in 1962. While working as a dietitian at the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, she obtained her master’s degree from Xavier University in business administration with a concentration in hospital administration in 1968.

She worked in progressive responsible positions within the Veterans Administration, serving in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Little Rock, Ark., in the central office in Washington, D.C., Oklahoma City, Lexington, Ky., Fort Wayne, Ind., West Roxbury, Mass., Denver, White City, Ore., Reno and Walla Walla, serving in the last three facilities as director.

In 1992, she met and married John (Jack) McGillis and retired from the VA in 1994. She enjoyed playing golf as well as duplicate bridge. Upon her arrival to Walla Walla in January of 1989, she became active in the community, spending many hours of volunteer time in Rotary International and on the boards of Little Theatre of Walla Walla, YWCA and the Walla Walla Symphony. She was an active fundraiser for the latter. She was active in lay ministries at St. Patrick Catholic Church.

She is survived by her husband; one brother, Michael (Jean) of Cincinnati; two nieces, U.S. Air Force Col. Michele Blake, assigned to Germany with her husband Peter Blake, and Jennifer (James) Taylor of Waynesville, Ohio; nephew, Matthew Coffey (Kelley) of Cincinnati: and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

Viewing and visitation will be Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at 2 p.m. until after the Rosary at Herring Groseclose Funeral Home. Rosary will be Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at 6 p.m. at the Chapel Herring Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church. There will be a vault interment at Mountain View Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to YWCA, Walla Walla Symphony Society, Walla Walla Little Theatre, John W. McGillis Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund BMCF, St. Mary Regional Cancer Center or Blue Mountain Humane Society through Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA 99362.