Mary Ann (Hornung) Fitzgerald, 81, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 2, 2022, at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque, IA. Mary was born in St. Mary’s, PA on November 17, 1941. She was the daughter of Harold and Helen Hornung. Family and friends will celebrate the memory of her life at Resurrection Catholic Church on Wednesday, December 7, at 11:00 a.m.  Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the church, prior to the service.

Mary and her sister Christine, grew up mainly in Pennsylvania but also lived for a few years in Kentucky. She did well in school, excelling in science and art, and had many friends.

She graduated from Villa Maria College in Erie, PA and began a successful nursing career at Cornell Medical Center in New York City. After earning a Master’s degree in nursing, she taught nursing at both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Iowa. Mary was always an excellent and compassionate nurse.

Mary and her husband owned and operated the bed-and-breakfast, Collier Mansion in the 80’s and 90’s.

In addition, Mary was an accomplished artist, focused mainly on painting. Regularly her works were exhibited in the Dubuque area. Her home was full of her artwork, quilts she made, beautiful flowers she grew and antiques she collected. Creating a warm and inviting home for her family was very important to her.

Mary with her husband Paul and their card club friends truly enjoyed traveling the world. She was always ready to plan the next adventure! Some of the areas visited were Ireland, Australia, China, South America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The traveling began with her husband Paul in Colombia, South America when they were volunteers for the Catholic church. Mary and Paul’s first child, Cristin, was born there.

In addition to art and traveling, Mary especially enjoyed watching sports, both her kids and grandkids as they competed. She was an avid fan of both the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Chicago Cubs as well. A prolific reader she was always in the middle of a good book.

Finally, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend and created many wonderful memories for her children and the neighborhood kids. People were always welcome in her home, and she doted on the pets she had over the years.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Harold and Helen Hornung,  in-laws Vincent and Mary Fitzgerald, brother-in-laws Robert Fitzgerald, and Ronald Koechell, and aunt Rita Jane Selle.

Those left to cherish Mary’s memory include her loving husband of 54 years, Paul; her sister Christine Koechell (Oshkosh), her daughter Cristin Fitzgerald (Dubuque), sons Michael Fitzgerald (Oklahoma City), and Matthew (Melissa) Fitzgerald in Omaha, NE, as well as her grandchildren, Madelyn and Ethan Day, and Samantha Fitzgerald. Also surviving Mary and close to her are her cousins Jane and Tom Lander from PA, as well as many close friends.

The family would like to especially thank her card and bridge club friends whose thoughts, prayers and visits were much appreciated.