Mary M. Hedge

Longtime Yreka resident, Mary M. Hedge-Tarnay, passed away July 31, 2016 at Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka. She was 91 years old. Mary was born on May 9, 1925 in Butte, Montana to Arnold and Mary Borel. She was raised in Butte and graduated as an Army Nurse Cadet from St. James School of Nursing in Butte. Mary was united in marriage to Joseph F. Hedge on January 6, 1948 in Arcata. They celebrated 61 years of marriage. In addition to Butte, the family lived in Independence, Kansas, Red Bluff, Arcata, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oregon, and Bellingham, Washington, prior to moving to Yreka. Joseph passed away in Yreka in 2009. Mary married Steven A. Tarnay in Medford, Oregon on April 11, 2014. Mary’s interests seemed infinite. She was a loving mother who set high standards for herself and her five children. “Nurse Hedge” had a 40 year career before retiring from Siskiyou General Hospital. She was also a pilot and flew a biplane. She was a champion bowler, a hole-in-one golfer (with the help of a tree), a choir director and church organist for 76 years (starting at the age of 13), a natural scientist who loved fishing, an astronomer, a ship-collector, a founder of Yreka’s Hospice shop, but above all, an adventurer. Mary loved to travel. She roamed across the U.S. and abroad, including a trip to Budapest, Hungary with her husband Steve in 2015. Mary was a powerful force, an inspiration for many, and a woman who, as her husband Steve says, “got out of life as much as she could. She maxed out on everything.” We wish her Godspeed on her next adventure. Mary is survived by her husband, Steven Tarnay of Yreka; her children, William Hedge of Sacramento, Catherine Hedge of Manhattan, Kansas, Celeste Gantz of Santa Rosa, Francie Dillon of Sacramento, Christopher Hedge of Moss Beach, and their spouses and partners; Brothers and sister: John Borel and his wife, Phyllis Bader-Borel,of Slingerlands, NY; Joan Heistuman of Eugene, Oregon; Bill Borel and his wife Danelle, of Seattle, Washington; Bob Carroll and his wife, Gail of San Diego; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren. In addition to her husband, Joseph, Mary was preceded in death by her siblings, May Carroll in San Diego, Ann Nishio in Toronto, Canada and Eugene Borel in Gerber; and a granddaughter, Erin Mackenzie Dillon in March, 2016 in Sacramento. A rosary will be recited on Friday, August 19, 2016 at 6:00 PM at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Yreka. A memorial mass will be said at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Yreka on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 12:00 Noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Madrone Hospice, 255 Collier Circle, Yreka, CA 96097 or go to http://www.madronehospice.org/home/donate.

Mary M. Hedge

May 9, 1925 - July 31, 2016