Mary Ann "Molly" (O'Riley) Lassuy
July 10, 1922 ~ May 24, 2021
Mary Ann “Molly” (O’Riley) Lassuy, 98, of Indianapolis, passed away on May 24, 2021 at St. Augustine Home for the Aged. Mary Ann was born on July 10, 1922 in Wateska, Illinois to the late Dennis Keith and Irma Elizabeth (Roark) O’Riley. Mary Ann married Albert “Art” George Lassuy in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Danville, Illinois on November 18, 1944.
Mary Ann graduated from Danville High School in Danville, Illinois and went on to graduate from beauty school. After completing beauty school, she went on to attend St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. While Art was attending the University of Notre Dame, they resided in Vetville, a housing sector on Notre Dame’s campus for veterans and their families. Art was the mayor of Vetville during their residency there, and Mary Ann was always proud of their time there. Mary Ann was a beautician at McGill Beauty Shop in Danville, Illinois and styled hair in a shop in her home in Odell, Illinois. Mary Ann was lastly employed at her brother, Dan O’Riley’s funeral home, where she did hair and took care of her brother; Mary Ann retired from her career as a hairdresser in 1998.
If Mary Ann was cooking, you knew you were in for a treat. She made sure all eight of her children always had a nutritious meal and were well cared for. If you had her Chop suey, you knew that it was a one-of-a-kind dish that just couldn’t be replicated. On Sundays she always made dessert and was very well known for her delectable butterscotch brownies. You never went hungry in Mary Ann’s presence, and she didn’t need a fancy kitchen or expensive ingredients to make a delicious meal.
Cheering on University of Notre Dame during football games was a must for Mary Ann. You could often hear her remarking to the Blessed Mother, “Mary, help your boys!” when her team wasn’t on the side of winning during a football game. As proud as Mary Ann was of Notre Dame football, she was even more proud of her Irish Catholic family. Mary Ann treasured her Irish heritage, and her Catholic faith was the foundation of her life. Mary Ann was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Odell, Illinois and a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, of Casa Grande, Arizona during her residency there. Most recently, Mary Ann was a member of St. Malachy Catholic Church in Brownsburg, Indiana.
Mary Ann resided at St. Augustine Home for the Aged up until her passing, where she made wonderful memories with many cherished friends. She loved and appreciated all the staff members and enjoyed interacting with the Little Sisters of the Poor. Mary Ann’s family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff and the Little Sisters of the Poor for the excellent care and devotion they extended to Mary Ann during her residency there.
Mary Ann was often saying, “Say a Hail Mary and offer it up!” as words of wisdom to those she loved; her devotion to her faith was evident through her generosity and caring heart. Mary Ann was always giving haircuts and meals away to those less fortunate, but she was always very discreet in doing so. She never wanted to compromise the dignity of another individual and truly had a servant’s heart. Mary Ann will be remembered as a strong woman who was devoted to others with a deep love for her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, and nieces and nephews.
Along with her parents and husband, Mary Ann was preceded in death by her son, Timothy J. Lassuy; her siblings, Colleen “Pat” Beever, Fr. James “Jim” O’Riley, and Daniel F. O’Riley; and a son-in-law, Michael McCarter.
Survivors include her children, Mary Pat McCarter, Margaret “Peggy” (James) Snead, Suzanne (Paul) Whalen, Dennis (Jessy Jacobs) Lassuy, Teresa (John) Caldara, Elizabeth Lassuy, and Joseph Lassuy; her brother, Fr. Dennis O’Riley; 13 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Ann will be on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. in St. Malachy Catholic Church, 9833 E County Rd 750 N, Brownsburg, Indiana 46112. Mary Ann will be inurned at a later date in St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Augustine Home for the Aged, 2345 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46260. Please visit www.ORileyFuneralHome.com to leave an online condolence for Mary Ann’s family.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Friends and Family uploaded 3 to the gallery.
Like many of the people in my life, I have been reflecting on the loss of my Great Grandma “Great.” Reading her obituary I feel like I am learning about a new side of her because I did not know her as a hairdresser (she retired from this the year I was born), or a mother of eight who always had food ready. However, I am happy to announce I have come to love brie after trying it with her for the first time and politely admitting it “wasn’t my fave.” For me, Great was always a loving support system from the rocking chair or a seat by the pool. She was someone who knew stories about young Grandma Suzi and all of the people in the pictures around her room. Growing up, I was aware that it was special to have my great-grandmother around, but as I had to explain that I was visiting my GREAT-grandma not my grandma to my college friends, I realized just how much of an honor this was. I recently drove to Indianapolis to visit her after her most recent fall. Sitting there in the chair by her bed, just holding her hand and being present with her, I could feel that same love and support that was always around me as a kid. When I joked about how I was too short for the normal graduation gown, she laughed with me, still as sharp as ever. Watching her look at Dad while he prayed the rosary holding her other hand, I could see the love and pride she felt for the people in the room. There were four generations of this love present, her, Grandma Suzi, my dad, and me. What an incredible legacy to leave. So, Grandma Great, thank you for leaving me and my cousins with such a blessing. We grew up with three generations of love and pride watching over us and teaching us (sometimes in retrospect). As I sat in that chair feeling just how loved and cherished I was just by looking at you, I began to think about how this impacted my growth as a person. This past week I had another hard goodbye, my college friends. And while I may not have graduated with many honors or any chords, I would need to start using my toes to count the number of people who told me to continue being so kind and genuine, or told me how I have taught them to be more loving or understanding. I am certain that I learned this kindness from growing up around you and the people you raised. I love you too.
Hoorah for Mary Ann, she has reached her earthly goal of eternity with our Lord! With our love, Tony and Barbara Sicuso
A century of Perfect Love! Good bye Auntie.
Great Memories of Mary Ann. I was a classmate of Mary Pat’s At St. Paul in Odell. We had some great times at class Party’s on the farm. With Mary Ann and Art helping . Square dances and cook outs. Great times. Cathy (Verdun) Masching
So sorry for your loss, I was a classmates of Tim’s. I will keep your family in my prayers.