AUBURN — Mary A. McKenna, 95, longtime resident of Rumford, died March 12, at Clover Residential Care.

She was born Sept. 13, 1917, in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada, a daughter of Hugh and Mary MacDonald.

Mary was educated in Rumford schools and was a 1936 graduate of Stephens High School. After graduation, she worked for New England Tel and Tel in Rumford as a telephone operator.

As her children were growing, she spent the summers working with them at The Rumford Wild Animal Farm in Rumford Point.

Mary was a faithful communicant of St. Athanasius-St. John Church in Rumford. It was there that she married her husband, Ralph McKenna on June 7, 1941. Ralph and Mary’s home was always open to and often filled with family members arriving from Prince Edward Island to work at the paper mill.

Mary was a devoted volunteer at Rumford Community Hospital for 17 years. She had been a longtime patron of the Rumford Library as she was an avid reader.

Those who knew Mary will remember her as a soft spoken, loving, kind, compassionate woman, always treating others as she would want to be treated.

Mary’s greatest joy was her three children, to whom she was always supportive and with whom she had a close relationship. They will miss her and count themselves blessed to have had her in their lives.

Surviving are her three children, Margaret MacDonald of Lewiston, William “Bill” McKenna and wife, Brenda, of Livermore and Raymond “Ray” McKenna and wife, Kathy, of Peru; four grandchildren, Renee McKenna, Christine Wood and husband, Barry, James MacPhee and wife, Debi and Laura MacPhee; three great-grandchildren, Amanda Smith, Melissa Wood and Joseph MacPhee; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Ralph; a brother, Bill; and sons-in-law, Joseph MacPhee and James MacDonald.

You are invited to share your thoughts, condolences and fond memories with the McKenna family by visiting their guest book at www.SGThibaultFuneralHome.com.