Mary E. Kirchner, of Laguna Niguel, passed away Wednesday the 2nd of February at home with her family.

Born in 1923 in Baltimore, Md. to Eugene and Florence Ellis, Mary shared her childhood with 3 sisters. Following graduation from Seton High School, she worked as a secretary. Mary married Stanley in 1945 while he was home on leave from the war. In 1956, they moved to Littleton, CO where she was a homemaker and loving mother to their 5 boys. In 1992, Mary realized a lifelong dream, moving to Southern California.

Mary loved family gatherings, walks on the beach, trips to Hawaii, bingo, movies with the girls and of course, crab and shrimp.

Mary is survived by her sons Michael Judy, David, Timothy Diane, Brian, and James Wendy; sisters Sr. Stella Maris Ellis and Anne Lang; grandchildren Elizabeth Jay, Scott, Matt, Lauren, Ashley, Courtney and Spencer; great-grandchildren Nicholas and Zachary.

A Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011 at 10:30 am at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Aliso Viejo, CA. A luncheon reception will immediately follow at Fountain Glen Apartments in Laguna Niguel.

Memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Honor Program http://www.stjude.org/donate.