Mary J. Durupt Fenno

Mary J. Durupt Fenno was born August 11, 1928, to  Euphorsine Masosoic Durupt and Nicholas Durupt in Jamestown, North Dakota. The second of 6 children, Mary was raised a devout Catholic.   When Mary was 9 years old, her mother died.  Subsequently, her paternal grandmother came to live with them.  After completing grade school, Mary attended Catholic boarding school, graduating in 1946.  The following year, while traveling from North Dakota to California with a friend, Mary and her friend  stopped in Milton-Freewater at her future sister-in-law’s home. There Mary met a sailor on leave who would later become the love of her life and her husband, Elton Fenno.  Mary and Elton married on February 25, 1947, and enjoyed nearly 66 years of marriage.
Mary’s innate warmth and love of family enabled her to create a loving home wherever Elton was stationed.  Mary and Elton had four daughters and one son.
Children were the focus of her life from her work as a home day care provider to her role as a teacher’s aid, to being an amazing grandmother. Service to others and the community was her passion.  Mary’s devotion to her Catholic faith led her to volunteer in taking communion to shut-ins, making quilts at St. Vincent d’ Paul, working with Birth Right and helping provide the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at De Sales for over 20 years.
While Mary spent time as a volunteer, her family was always her priority. She was the beloved heart of her family. Her loving kindness and generosity of spirit will be sorely missed by her family and all who knew her.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Elton; three siblings and her daughter, Pamela Brown.  She is survived by her three daughters, Vicki Huskey, Judi Fenno and Susan Dewald (Tim) and her son, Nick Fenno; 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren (and one on the way) and two great-great-grandchildren.