Mary S. Hoagland
Surrounded by her loving family, Mary Hoagland died peacefully at home on October 22. Just shy of her 64th birthday, she had spent the last 23 months with ALS. In spite of the indignities of her disease, and previous hardships in her life, she always remained a strong, proud woman with a great sense of humor.
Mary was born and raised in Seattle and in 1980 graduated from WSU with a Communications degree, which provided her even more skill to deliver sarcastic comments and jokes. Upon graduation, she worked in Alaska cleaning fish and at a cannery in Ballard. Always trying to do good in the world, she joined the Peace Corps in 1983 and went to Liberia, Africa, where she met the love of her life, a fellow volunteer, Alex Kutsick. They married in 1986 and Mary actually wore a dress – one of only a few she ever wore. 
settled in to married life and bought their first home in Bothell while Mary worked at Mario’s Restaurant and Planned Parenthood. She obtained her Masters in Social Work from the UW in 1990 just prior to becoming a mother for the first time. Motherhood became her primary focus and she was a wonderful, nurturing mother to Molly and Lucas. When the kids were older, Mary returned to social work. But despite her best efforts, she was unable to save the world and retired in 2017 anyhow.
Mary was brilliant, funny, and genuine. She inherited a green thumb from her mother and loved gardening. She and Alex spent many hours not only at nurseries, but perusing antique shops and flea markets looking for the perfect yard art. She excelled at entertaining, making every person feel welcome at the many gatherings held at their Bothell home. She had a love affair with chocolate, coffee, and good wine. She had a core group of friends from work that she would do anything for. She loved them dearly. A true bibliophile, she read constantly – usually books about other cultures. She traveled extensively, visiting 5 continents and 40 countries, especially loving Thailand, Italy, Belize and Peru. She was so thankful she had the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu with the family a few months before her diagnosis in 2019. Equality, politics and world events were also a passion. She was still reading the New York Times and Washington Post just a few days before her passing – they have lost their most avid reader.
Mary is preceded in death by the mother she adored, Nancy, and her father Floyd, her sister Ann, her brother Tom, and her beloved sister Sally. She is survived by her soul mate Alex Kutsick, her wonderful children Molly and Lucas Kutsick, her loving siblings Catherine Hoagland and Nancy Hughes (Randy), as well as three nieces, four nephews and several grandnieces/nephews. She will also be greatly missed by her cousins and hundreds of friends that she made and kept throughout her life.
A celebration of her life will be held on her birthday, 11/11@11am at Holyrood Cemetery Chapel in Shoreline. The family asks that in honor of Mary, you read, vote and do good in the world like she did. You can also make remembrances to the NW chapter of ALS at www.webwa.alsa.org
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