Mary Catherine Bouchard Epley

© Enid News and Eagle

12-28-2014

Submitted by: Glenn

© Enid News and Eagle

Mass of Christian burial for Mary Catherine (Bouchard) Epley will be 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29, 2014, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. The Reverend Rajesh Mankenna will officiate. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Service is under direction of Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home.

Mary B. was born May 7, 1936, and was adopted by Florence Veronica Gartland Bouchard and Joseph Edgar (Ed) Bouchard of Little Rock, Ark. Mary passed away suddenly at home on Monday, Dec. 22, 2014.

The Bouchards relocated to Enid from Arkansas, when Mary was entering the fourth grade, so Mr. Bouchard could manage the JCPenney store in downtown Enid. Mary attended McKinley grade school and Emerson Junior High and graduated from Enid High School in 1954.

Mary met the love of her life, Gerald (Jerry) Epley, while attending Mount Vernon Jr. College in Washington, D.C. She later transferred to the University of Oklahoma, to major in elementary education, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She never gave up on the man of her dreams and kept a long-distance relationship with Jerry while he attended West Point. Mary taught first grade in Pass Christian, Miss., while Jerry started his career in the U.S. military.

Mary and Jerry wed June 15, 1961, in Gulfport, Miss.

Mary and Jerry lived in Munich, Germany, during Jerry’s first assignment, where their two daughters, Susan and Carolyn, were born. Mary and Jerry’s love endured 11 other moves around the United States, as well as three difficult years while Jerry served as an Army ranger in Vietnam. When the war ended, the family moved to Mary’s favorite place in the world, Enid, Okla., in 1975. Jerry worked for Union Equity in Enid and later for Farmland in Kansas City.

Since Mary and Jerry’s first date was on a tennis court, Mary loved the sport of tennis, which she passed on to her daughters and many of her friends in Enid during the 1970s. Mary not only enjoyed playing and competing in tennis tournaments — she also taught tennis to dozens of people. Mary’s sense of humor and patience made the game fun for everyone.

Even if you did not know Mary personally, you might have known her smile and friendly personality. No one was a stranger in Mary’s bright blue eyes, and she could make anyone’s day a little brighter with the happiness that she loved to share. Mary was a devout Catholic who attended St. Gregory’s Catholic Church. Mary was a kind, caring person and a faithful member of Chapter DO of PEO.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Florence and Ed Bouchard.

Mary is survived by her husband, Jerry, of the home, and daughters, Susan Epley and Carolyn Nicholas, of Enid.

In addition, she is survived by son-in-law Jay Nicholas and grandsons Stephen, John and Brent Nicholas.

Memorial donations can be made to Our Daily Bread, Alzheimer’s Association, Sisters of the Precious Blood or Enid Tennis Association, with the funeral home acting as custodian of funds.

Condolences and remembrances of Mary may be given to the family at www.enidwecare.com.

(Submitted by family)

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