Obituary of Mary Ann Monte

Wonderful wife and mother, Mary Ann Monte, passed away on June 9, 2019 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. She spent her last days visited by friends and family at Casa de la Luz Hospice's Kanmar Place. Mary Ann was born to Edward and Stella Solak in Saginaw, Michigan. She graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1970 then attended Central Michigan University where she graduated with a degree in special education in 1974. While teaching, she went on to earn a master's degree in special education at Western Michigan University in 1978. Mary Ann devoted 31 years of her life to educating students with cognitive, learning, and emotional disabilities in the public school system. During the summers before retirement, Mary Ann was an adjunct professor at Central Michigan University in the Counseling and Special Education department. After retirement from the public schools, she continued teaching at the university until moving to Tucson in 2012. Mary Ann had a passion for justice and supported organizations that advocate for women's rights, and the poor and marginalized. She was an original member on the steering committee of Faith Weavers of St. Mary. Mary Ann is survived by her husband of 40 years, Richard, her daughter Morgan, her beloved dog Elly Faith, her father Edward, her siblings Geralyn, Matt, Carleen, Mark, and John, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her mother, Stella Solak. Family will receive friends at 10:30am on Thursday, June 13th at Our Lady of the Desert Church, 7107 West Picture Rocks Rd., Tucson, AZ. A Funeral Mass will follow at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Faith Weavers of St. Mary (faithweavers.org) or Humane Borders (humaneborders.org).