Mary Ann Strong died in her sleep Thursday, March 19, 2026. Mary Ann was born on June 28, 1925, in Pawhuska, OK, the daughter of John and Vivian Kennedy. She graduated from Ferry Hall High School in Lake Forest, IL and the University of Oklahoma where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Mary Ann was a librarian and secretary at St John’s School from 1965 to 1977. She served on the parish councils of both St. John’s and Corpus Christi Catholic Churches. She served on the boards of Meals on Wheels and Catholic Community Services and was a volunteer reader at Audio Reader for 35 years.
She married Jack W. Strong in 1950. They moved to Lawrence in 1960 and established Strong’s Office Systems. She is survived by her children Marjorie of Bothell, WA, John of Woodstock, MD, and Paul of Hawaii, HI.
Services will be held at Corpus Christi this summer at a date to be determined. Interment will be with her husband in the National Cemetery in Ft. Scott, KS.
Memorials may be made to Audio Reader, Girl Scout’s Hidden Valley and St. John’s School and Corpus Christi.
I have such fond memories of Mrs. Strong from when I was at St. John’s school. She helped teach me some of the fundamental basics of being a secretary. She never thought I was to young not to learn, for which I am forever grateful to her.
RIP Mrs. Strong