Mary Elenor Holbert

Mary Elenor (Fanok) Holbert, 97, died of natural causes early Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, at the Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center in Green River, Wyo. She lived in Rock Springs, Wyo., for 60 years prior to her death. 

She was born March 26, 1925, to Rusyn and Ukranian immigrant parents, Stephen B. and Kathryn (Patriska) Fanok in Jere, W.V. She was the seventh of 10 children. 

Mary graduated from St. Francis De Sales High School, in Morgantown, W.Va., on June 4, 1944. She attended Western Wyoming Community College from 1988-89 to study Russian.

She married the love of her life, Paul Merritt Holbert, on Jan. 29, 1946. They lived on a farm near Morgantown before moving to Rock Springs in 1963. Together, they raised five children: Gary, Cathy, the late Paul “Terry” Jr., Steve, and Deb.  

Mary was a member of The Holy Spirit Catholic Community, Catholic Golden Age, AARP, Young at Heart Senior Center, Sashay Pardners Square Dancing Club, Rock Springs Woman’s Club, the Red Hat Society in Rock Springs and Thermopolis, the Rocky Mountain UFCW Union, and Our Lady’s Rosary Makers.  

She was an associate to the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Sister Dorothy Henschied her mentor. She was the recipient of 29 gold medals and one silver as a participant in field and track at Wyoming State Senior Olympics since 2003. She was a lymphoma cancer survivor since 2007.

Mary enjoyed crocheting, knitting, tatting, tai chi, and square dancing. She made cord and beaded rosaries for missions all over the world.

She worked for Safeway for 20 years, managing the Bake Shop. She was active in her church as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, serving communion to the homebound, at Sage View Nursing Home, and at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. 

Mary loved to cook, especially for her family, and was known for her potica. She organized and cooked funeral dinners for the church, feeding hundreds over many years. In her later years, she enrolled in various art and writing classes, and learned to play the violin.

She and her husband spent many summers enjoying their home in East Thermopolis. 

She is preceded in death by her parents; mother and father-in-law; husband; brothers Pete, Stephen, Paul, Adam, and George; sisters Catherine, Eva, Stella, and Sophia; son Paul “Terry” Jr.; and sons-in-law Robert McQueen and Steve Sutton.

She is survived by her sons Gary (Joanne) Holbert of East Thermopolis, Wyo., and Steve (Dora) Holbert of Bremerton, Wash.; daughters Cathy McQueen, OSF, of Casper, Wyo., and Deb Sutton of Rock Springs; grandchildren Shauna Holbert and Tami (Jerry) Love, of Rock Springs, Robert (Tamie) McQueen of Peoria, Ariz., Stephen (Jae) McQueen of Denver, Colo., Robin (Rob) Schauss of Casper, Matthew (Laris) Holbert and Jacob Holbert of Bremerton, and Trevor Page of Utah; great-grandchildren Jordan Love and Dillon Love Rock Springs, Tyler Kroll and Shelby Schauss of Casper, Adeline Holbert and Lucas Holbert of Bremerton, and Jesse Page, Kylee Larson, Makayla Tarin, and Josie Shelley of Utah; and great-great-grandson Beckam Snell of Casper.

Following cremation, a Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 16, 2023 at the Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church, 633 Bridger Ave., Rock Springs, WY. A Rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 16, 2023 at the Church.

Inurnment will take place in the Rock Springs Municipal Cemetery.

Donations in her honor can be made to Memorial Hospital Foundation or Red Desert Humane Society. 

Condolences for the family can be left at www.foxfh.com