Obituary for Mary Leehan

Mary E Leehan

June 2, 1928 – January 24, 2022

Mary E. Leehan (Lawler), 93, passed from this world to join her beloved husband, Donald, in heaven on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022.

Mary was born June 2, 1928, in Ponca City, Okla. to John and Velma Lawler. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in Ponca, graduating in 1947. She was selected Queen of the May for the annual ceremonial flower wreath crowning of the Virgin Mary statue.

While she was classmates with Donald E. Leehan since elementary school, their first date wasn’t until senior prom. Mary always said she wanted to go to prom with Don because she knew how good a dancer he was. He clearly swept her off her feet with more than his dancing. They dated as both took courses at Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa.

Mary began training as an x-ray technician at the St. John’s Hospital School in Tulsa, Okla., while Don finished his B.A. degree after transferring to the University of Oklahoma. She withdrew from the training program when they married, June 9, 1951.

During the Korean War, Mary and Don resided at military bases in New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado while Don served in the US Air Force. After military service, they lived in Norman, OK while Don completed his law degree at OU.

Mary and Don took-up residence in Tulsa, OK, where they raised a family of four rowdy boys while Don did legal work with Sunray DX Oil Company. Mary was deeply involved in and supportive of her children’s schooling and after-school activities. She joyfully suffered a 14-year “tour of duty” as a Den Mother while all of her sons worked their way through the Cub Scouts program.

Mary fulfilled her ambition to pursue a medical career. She returned to the St. John’s Hospital x-ray technician training program in her early forties. Graduating at the head of her class, Summa Cum Laude, she had a fulfilling career of more than 25 years before retiring.

Mary and Don lived two years in Houston, TX and 22 years in Dallas, TX while Don advanced in his legal career within the oil industry. In retirement, they enjoyed their grandchildren and travel, making trips to Ireland, Europe, and an especially gratifying group excursion to Rome and the Vatican with their Dallas parish.

As they became older, their four sons convinced them to sell their house in Dallas and live near, and eventually with, them. They lived, alternately, in Norman, OK, St. Paul, MN, and Pittsburgh, PA, where Mary passed.

Mary was a loving, selfless and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Known as “Mimi” to her grandchildren, this computer-age generation coined the term “The Mimi Chip”- an indicator of her sterling qualities when exhibited in her progeny.

She was a rock-solid believer in and practitioner of her Catholic faith, often attending mass daily and finding great comfort in saying her rosary regularly. She wrote poetry since childhood and, without formal musical training, composed two songs to her deceased husband when she was 92 years old. She was exceptionally intelligent, motivated, focused, competitive and determined to accomplish whatever she started.

Mary and Don set a standard of passion for education and accomplishment that influenced those who came after. As of Mary’s passing, with four sons and 10 grandchildren, there are 14 high school diplomas, 12 bachelor’s degrees, five master’s degrees, and one each of JD, PhD, MD, DO, CRNP, PharmD and RN degrees and certifications.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Donald E. Leehan, 17 days short of their 65th wedding anniversary.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, John and Velma Lawler, and all of her siblings: Juanita DeCillis, John “Jack” Lawler, Josephine Doughty and James “Jim” Lawler.

She is survived by sons D. Kevin Leehan (Pam), St. Paul, MN; Sean W. Leehan, MD (Suzanne), Pittsburgh, PA ; Dennis M. Leehan, Norman, OK; P. Brian Leehan (Angela), St. Paul, MN.
Grandchildren: Kerry Leehan; Chase Leehan (Christina); Preston Leehan; Peter Leehan, DO (Jessica); Malcolm Leehan (Amy); Sean Patrick Leehan (Kelly); Thomas Leehan; Alexander Leehan; Daniel Leehan; Michael Leehan.
Great Grandchildren: Aedan Leehan; Conor Leehan; Abigail Leehan; Emma Leehan; Aubrey Leehan.

Visitation: Sat., Jan. 29, 2022, 9am-11am at Trout Funeral Home, 505 W. Grand Ave. Ponca City, OK. Rosary to follow.
Funeral Mass: Sat., Jan. 29, 2022, 1pm, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 408 S. 8th St., Ponca City, OK.
Committal to the Earth: St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, adjacent to IOOF Cemetery, 1206 S. Waverly St., Ponca City, OK.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the St. Mary’s School student scholarship fund are requested. or 580-765-4387.

Source: Trout Funeral Home