Obituaries

Mary Rion passed peacefully, of natural causes at her home in Union City, Ca, on May 19, 2021 with her children by her side. She lived a full and wonderful life.

Mary was born at West Point, New York to Colonel Harold A. Brusher and Mary Elizabeth Brusher. As a young child from a military family, she lived in many exotic places, spending a significant period of her childhood in Panama and the Philippines. As a teenager she lived at the Presidio in San Francisco, where she was a constant “shadow” to her popular and outgoing brother Harold (“Tony”).

The family then moved to Oakland, CA, where Mary graduated from Holy Names High School in 1953 and attended Providence College of Nursing, graduating as a Registered Nurse in 1956.

Mary met a handsome Navy man, Robert (Bob) Rion and together they raised a happy and active family of five kids. She managed the household while, juggling the kids through tap dancing lessons and recitals (including making the costumes), Little League and High School football, basketball cheerleading and organizing all the many family camping trips. Through all the activities and mayhem, Mary always ensured that every birthday and holiday was made a magical event for all five kids. When she and Bob parted ways after 21 years, Mary went back to her first love, nursing.

After retirement, Mary wanted to get out and see the world so, with her best friends from nursing college and her cousin, Mary Ann Quitman, they set off to cruise the seas. She loved going on cruises and seeing historical parts of the world, Alaska, the Panama Canal and Russia. Mary was positive, gracious, supportive, devoted, fun-loving and “game” for anything. She loved family gatherings and loved to be surrounded by those she held dear. Sometimes known as the “Sports Grandma”, she thoroughly loved watching all sports, college and professional. Mary was a dedicated Raiders; A’s; Warriors and Cal fan and she always seemed to know more about what the teams were doing than the commentators that reported on them.

She loved and deeply missed her dogs, Kona, Penny and Tess. These three showed her a loyalty and comfort seldom seen and she truly loved them. Mary is survived by her loving children: Margaret (“Margie”) Mary Ishmael (Peter), Shawn Thomas Rion, Cheryl LeeAnn Whiteside (Michael), Karen Jean Leland (Steven) and Christa Joan Rion. She leaves behind her loving younger sister, Jane Tuck and brother William Brusher. She will be missed by thirteen grand children and twelve great-grandchildren who were her pride and joy.

A memorial service will be held for Mary at the Fremont Chapel of the Roses on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.