Lemley Chapel
Serving Sedro-Woolley &
All of Skagit County Since 1935
1008 Third Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA
360-855-1288
www.LemleyChapel.com
Mary Rea Vlahovich Memorial
Mary Rea Vlahovich Memorial

Mary Rea Vlahovich

Mary Rea Vlahovich

Saturday, June 9th, 2007

Mary Rea Vlahovich, 76, a lifelong Skagit County resident, passed away on Friday, June 8, 2007 at the Mira Vista Care Center in Mount Vernon.
She was born in Sedro-Woolley on June 10, 1930, the daughter of Edward & Bessie Bentson Luton.
Mary was raised and attended grade school in Hamilton and then graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School with the class of 1948.
She married and began her family, living in the Sedro-Woolley area.
On December 30, 1955 she was united in marriage to Tom Vlahovich in Coupeville, WA and together they made their home in Sedro-Woolley and raised their family. After the last of Mary’s six children were in school, she too returned to school in 1977, enrolling in the nursing program at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, where she received her nursing degree in 1980. She worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse at United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley for 15 years.
On May 19, 2000 Mary proudly accepted posthumously the Washington State Law Enforcement Medal of Honor, which had been awarded to her father who was killed in the line of duty while serving as the Hamilton Town Marshall.
Mary volunteered her time at the Sedro-Woolley Museum and worked the election polls for many years. She was also the ‘Birdsview correspondent’ for the Courier Times and Skagit Valley Herald newspapers for several years. She also enjoyed the flowers in her garden and watching the hummingbirds that they would attract.
Mary is survived by her husband of nearly 52 years, Tom, at the family home in Sedro-Woolley. Her 4 sons, Don Kelly of Moberly, MO, David Kelly and his wife, Tracy of Pasco, WA, Dennis Dietz and his wife, Mary Ellen of Norfolk, VA and Tom Vlahovich & Virginia Good of Sedro-Woolley; and her 2 daughters, Tia Burnett of Sedro-Woolley and Sue Thramer & David Haynes of Mount Vernon. 11 grandchildren, Tiffany Shaw, Dawn Wilson, Donnie Vorhees, Tim Burnett, Tom Vlahovich, Jake Thramer, Brian Burnett, Ron & Trisha Meyer, Tori Dietz and Alex Kelly. 11 great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and numerous in-laws. She was preceded in death by her parents; 4 brothers, Don, Bruce, Charles and Arthur Luton and 1 sister, Doris Smith. Mary’s family wish to acknowledge and thank the staff of Mira Vista Care Center and her friend, Helen Draper for stepping in and helping Mary for the past few months. The family suggest memorials be made to the Washington State Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Foundation.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 at 1:00 PM at the Central United Methodist Church in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Marilyn Kallshian officiating. Private inurnment will be at the Hamilton Cemetery.
Visitation available at and services under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.

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