Obituary of Mary Katherine Sobasky

Mary Katherine Sobasky passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 19, 2024, in Saint Paul. She was born on February 14, 1941 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the youngest of three children born to Herman and Katherine Koran.
Mary grew up in Frogtown, in a multi-generational family home on Blair Avenue. She attended St. Agnes grade school and graduated from Mechanic Arts HS in 1959. She dated Tom Sobasky in high school, and they married on September 9, 1961.
Tom and Mary owned a home in the Macalester Groveland neighborhood in Saint Paul, where they raised their four children. The home was a hive of activity, as while raising her own children, Mary cared for multiple others. She operated an in-home daycare service and often had as many as five additional children in her care. Once her youngest started school, Mary worked outside the home for various state of Minnesota services, including MN Job Services and finally, in the tapes department at State Services for the Blind. She enjoyed her retirement by taking multiple road trips with Tom to visit friends and family across the United States. However, she never stayed away, as she did not like to be away from her children or grandchildren for long.

Mary was the consummate caregiver and dedicated her life to serving others. She was a tutor at St. Luke's (where the kids attended school) and she served on both the School Board and the Parish Council. She was a Eucharist Minister at church, was part of the Saint Thomas More Women’s Group and volunteered at every function she could. She served at the Spaghetti dinner, worked a booth at Morefest, and baked for every bake sale. People would fight over her Poppyseed Coffeecakes! She loved her animal companions and lived with many over the years. Mary opened her home to people who needed a place to live, she would cook meals for those in need, she visited the sick and dying, would clean the homes for those unable to do so, and basically stepped in to care wherever she was needed. Her selflessness was a model to all those close to her.

Mary had multiple talents and interests. Her green thumb was unmatched as her yard and gardens were award worthy. The flowers were gorgeous and the vegetables numerous. She loved to cook and bake, and her specialties included spaghetti and meatballs, pot roast and dumplings, and even head cheese (for her brother Bob). Every holiday and birthday were not complete without one of her cakes, pies, or desserts.  Her fried apple rings were incomparable. 

Mary is held in the loving memories of her children: Barb Nylen of Circle Pines, Don (Kim) of Inver Grove Heights, Carol Ney (Jeff) of St. Paul, and Ken of Roseville. She will be deeply missed by her grandchildren: Tony, Rebecca, Steven, Sami, Afton (Brock), Lauryn, Jacob, Cecilia, Adelaide, Tom, and Cole and great grandsons, Atticus and Baker. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Delores, brother Robert, and former spouse Tom Sobasky.

Mary chose to be cremated. A funeral mass is scheduled for Thursday February 8, 2024, at 11:00 am at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church, 1093 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105, (651)227-7669. Visitation at church from 10:00 am-11:00 am, prior to mass. Please join us for a luncheon in the church undercroft (Saint Ignatius Hall) after mass. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to Animal Humane Society of Minnesota.