Mary C. Emanuel (Finegan) was born in Fremont on September 30, 1936, to John and Ethel Finegan (Matz). The fourth daughter of six girls. She passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
Mary grew up in Fremont attending St. Patrick’s Elementary School until the family relocated in third grade to a dairy farm in North Bend. After which she attended country schools and North Bend High School, where she was an active member of the community. She was a cheerleader, on the pep squad, in various glee clubs and school plays and participated in 4H shows, showing grand champion Brown Swiss. After studying at Wayne Teacher’s College, she taught in a one room schoolhouse in North Bend. She has been a member of St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend for 80 years and it was at this Church on February 15, 1958, she married her high school sweetheart Mark J. Emanuel. They moved to a farm in North Bend where they raised nine children. She adjusted from growing up with five sisters to having seven sons and two daughters, encouraging her to become an avid Huskers fan. Mary continued her family and community involvement throughout her life and in addition to supporting her children at countless sporting events and activities she managed to grow a large garden, sing in the choir, volunteer as a CCD teacher, and work at Birchwood Manor as a cook. Mary was devoted to her Catholic faith and loved reading religious novels and working large jigsaw puzzles, but her greatest joy came from spending time with her large family who were the loves of her life.
Mary is survived by: Edward (Leslie) Emanuel of North Bend, Bart (Shana) Emanuel of Elkhorn, Larry (Sheryl) Emanuel of Gretna, Mark (Suzanne) Emanuel of Thousand Oaks, California, Susan (Charlie) Canfield of Gretna, Lee Emanuel of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Jill Eggleston of David City, Robert Emanuel of North Bend, and Matthew (Jill) Emanuel of Mesa, Arizona. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, one sister Kathi Emanuel of Omaha and one sister-in-law Veronica Emanuel.
She was preceded in death by her parents, loving husband Mark, and four sisters: Lois Dvorak, Joanie Preston, Pat Cunningham, and Margie Melena.
The Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 12, 2025, at St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11 with a Rosary said at 7 p.m., all at St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend.
The burial will be at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude’s.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com
