Mary Catherine Rozzoni, 89

Mary Catherine Rozzoni passed away to be with Our Lord on Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, at her home with her beloved niece Susan Crane by her side.

She was born June 13, 1918, in Miami, Ariz., the daughter of Peter and Alice Shellert. When she was 4 years old, Mary was placed in a Sisters of Mercy Convent in the state of Washington and remained there until she was 18.

She was then, in a prearranged marriage, wed to a man many years her senior. The couple moved to New York. During this marriage, a son was born, but died at 2 from pneumonia. The marriage was dissolved, and Mary moved to Las Vegas, Nev.

In Vegas she worked as a cocktail waitress at the Tropicana, where she loved to tell that she loved to wait on Sammy Davis Jr. She bought a home in Vegas, where she also raised border collies.

The city of Las Vegas bought her home during an expansion project, and she moved on to San Francisco, where she met and married Mauro Rozzoni. When he first introduced her to his family, he asked smartly: If she had a dress. And she answered smartly: yes. The only dress she had was her cocktail dress, which she wore to meet his Italian family. She really had spunk.

After her marriage to Mauro, she opened her restaurant 'Cotters Corner' in San Francisco. She owned and operated the restaurant for more than 30 years and retired at the age of 70. She and Mauro enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, and to the family ranch, where she taught Italian cooking and entertained friends.

In 1991, the couple came to the Flathead Valley to enjoy their golden years. But Mauro passed away in 1993.

All who had the privilege of meeting her knew of her shop-until-you-drop attitude and her passion for friends and her animals. Two days before her death, she was shopping.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mauro; her parents; a brother, Harry; and her infant son.

She is survived by her niece Susan Crane in Manteca, Calif., and two great-nephews Joshua Cross and Michael Crane, also of Manteca. She also left behind her four dogs, Petite, Taffy, Shadow II, and Ginger, and many wonderful friends.

Visitation will be 1-8 p.m. today at the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel, followed by graveside services at the Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

A celebration of Mary's life will be at her home at 474 Cougar Trail, Whitefish, following graveside services.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Humane Society.