Mary Elizabeth Walker

Surrounded by her loving family, Mary Elizabeth Walker, 90, peacefully passed away on June 30, 2025, in Sacramento, CA.

Born on April 5, 1935 in Pittsburgh, PA to Charles and Frances Duffy, Mary was the third of five Duffy children and the only daughter. She was born during the Great Depression and grew up surrounded by the riches of her family, friends and childhood experiences.

Mary attended St. Philip Catholic School before graduating from Crafton High School. After high school, she enrolled into nurses training at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh. Shortly after graduating from nursing school, she followed an urge to explore beyond Pittsburgh and joined TWA as a stewardess flying out of Boston, MA. In 1958 she was transferred to San Francisco where she continued with TWA and also worked part-time as a general nurse. Some of Mary’s closest friendships were made during her “flying days” while living on the Great Highway.

While in San Francisco she met Tom Walker, who had moved to the city after serving in the US Navy. Tom was a native of Fargo, ND and had completed his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. He chose to live on the west coast to be near his brother Jimmy.

Shortly after meeting, Mary and Tom discovered that they had a lot in common and became a quick pair. They were married in Pittsburgh, PA in October 1960 at St. Philip Catholic Church where she attended elementary school. After they married they lived in Parkmerced in San Francisco before moving to Sunnyvale, CA. Together they raised five children, Michael (Helen), John (Jill), Ann, Patrick, Katherine (Todd). Job opportunities led the Walker family to Aurora, IL, Wausau, WI, and then back to CA. Wherever they lived, Mary and Tom created a stable, loving and tidy home for their family and formed great friendships at every stop.

Eventually settling in Pleasanton, CA, Mary was an active community member, volunteer and dedicated parishioner of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. She also tutored adults learning English and volunteered at the Pleasanton Convalescent Hospital.

Mary was known for her witty charm, caring nature, and quirky personality. She had the ability to light up any room with her vibrant smile, warm presence, and beautiful eyes. She had a knack for making everyone feel welcome and special, often remembered for her silly quips, one-of-a- kind puns, and kind and encouraging words. She maintained connections with many through her thoughtful and newsy cards and letters, a testament to her love of letter writing.

Mary enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, and Scrabble. She loved art, museums, travel, classic movies and dancing to Neil Diamond. Plus, she had an uncanny ability for finding loose change which eventually started the family “Found Fund”. Her Great Depression era roots also made her a natural bargain shopper as no sale rack was ever passed without a quick look and coupons were used regularly.

Mary was an exercise enthusiast and typically started every day at 5AM with a brisk walk in the Pleasanton Sports Park where she formed many friendships. With hundreds of recipes (all neatly organized) and countless cookbooks, she was a great cook and prolific baker. When it came to holiday gatherings, she filled the kitchen with her delicious cookies, pies, cakes and other sweet treats.

Above all, Mary's greatest and most profound joy came from her family, and she was a devoted friend to those both near and far.

Mary is survived by her beloved husband Tom, and their children, Michael, John, Ann, Patrick and Katherine, children-in-law Helen, Jill and Todd and her grandchildren Quinton, Jake, Alyssa and Corey. She is also survived by her brother Richard, sister in-law Rita and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mercy McMahon Terrace in Mary’s memory. Mary received excellent care from the entire staff at MMT.