Mary Therese Jelnick

Mary Therese Jelnick was born at her home in Chicago, Illinois Sept. 3, 1918 to Tomica & Elias Jonlick. She had one older brother George and two younger brothers John and Joe. After Mary’s father died when she was only three years old, Tomica raised her children alone for many years, but they were very close to a wonderful extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom lived nearby. She talked often about playing stickball with her brothers and the boys on Wolcott Ave. Some of her fondest childhood memories included her neighbors Lauretta and Edna who remained life-long friends.
For a time in her early twenties, Mary took the streetcar each day to downtown Chicago where she worked at the Spiegel Catalog Company. It was during that time that she became engaged to Gerald(Jerry) Jelnick, and in 1947 they were married. Their sons Steve and Robert were born shortly thereafter. In 1952, the Jelnick family moved to California, living for a time with an aunt and uncle in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.  In that same year, Mary and Jerry bought the family home on Knoxville Avenue in Long Beach. Three more children were then born: Jerry, Therese, and Mike.
Mary and her husband were founding members of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Long Beach. The church and parish were always an essential part of Mary’s life, and she volunteered as a member of the Altar Society, the Legion of Mary, the Women’s Club, and the Seniors’ Club.   Mary donated many years’ worth of Wednesday mornings making sandwiches for the Movement for a Better World program.  Her dearest friendships were formed through her work and involvement at St. Joseph’s.
While raising her five children, Mary found time and space in her already full home to care for both her mother and her mother-in-law, providing each day the gentle, warm love she showed everyone who knew her over the years.
After raising five children and sending them all off to college, Mary was able to enjoy time with her husband, traveling to Hawaii, Fatima, and even Rome. After Jerry passed in 1990, Mary was blessed to travel with her daughter and dearest friend, Therese, to the Caribbean, France, and London, even crossing the Panama Canal.  She also spent many long weekends with her grandchildren traveling up the California Coast and to Texas, and regularly to Las Vegas, San Diego and Palm Springs. She also got to complete two items on her bucket list – attending a Notre Dame Football game and visiting Niagara Falls.
Mary was well known for many things, but chief among them was her baking, especially her banana bread, her buttermilk bars, marble bars, and raspberry bars. She loved hosting family gatherings, and enjoyed the holidays each year when all of her children were at the table for blessings, toasts, and good food.
Mary has three grandchildren whom she adored: Jill, Jeralyn and J.J, grandchildren who clearly adored her, as well. Among their fondest memories are the times when Mary pushed them in strollers through Disneyland, when she baked with them, fed the ducks with them at El Dorado Park, and took them shopping each fall for back-to-school clothes. No grandmother was more beloved.
Mary is survived by her five children, three grandchildren and three beloved daughters-in-law – Annie, Jeanne and Gigi. She is also survived by sister-in-law Ann Jonlick, nieces Jean and Mary and nephews George and Mark.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Precious Life Shelter P.O. Box 414, Los Alamitos, CA 90720 or St. Joseph Church 6180 E. Willow St., Long Beach, CA 90815 in Mary’s name.
Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401