(nee Houlihan) was born in Chicago on June 11, 1922 to John and Mary Houlihan. She entered eternal life on June 6, 2026, 5 days before her 104th birthday. She is predeceased by her younger brother, Jackie Houlihan, who was killed at the age of 19 in Okinawa near the end of WWII. After the sudden heart attack and death of her father John, she entered the work force and spent 34 years working for Continental Can Company. She was one of the first women in her neighborhood to work outside the home, as well as own a car driving to work each day to support her extended family.
Mary Coletta had two children of her own. Her loving daughter is Mary Coletta “Ket” Bolton (Mike). She is predeceased by her younger disabled daughter, Norine Ellen, whom she took care of with the help of her mother at their home in Chicago for 29 years.
She was the joy filled grandmother to Colette Roychoudhury (Raj), Michelle Ferguson (Dan) and Kevin Bolton. The turn of the century brought marriages of her granddaughters and, over the next 8 years, four great grandchildren, Emily Roychoudhury, Samuel Roychoudhury, Kate Ferguson, and Jack Ferguson. In living to her current age of almost 104, she had the joy of not only seeing 3 of her 4 great grandchildren graduate from high school, but she also saw two graduate from college. She loved telling neighbors and friends about all of her “kids”. She is also survived by her two beloved great grand dogs, Charlie (Roychoudhury) and Toby (Ferguson).
She married Richard “Rich” Thumlert in August of 1979. Together they enjoyed a wonderful life filled with activities celebrating birthdays, graduations and family events with Ket and Mike and her grandchildren. She enjoyed bowling, golf and watching football. She also played the organ, continuing to do that nearly up to her death. After Rich passed away, Coletta moved to Milwaukee in 1993 to be near her daughter Ket. True to form, she wanted her own house, car and lived as independently as she could. In 2012, at the age of 90, she moved into the Bolton family home, living a semi-independent life until her death.
Coletta was very proud of her Irish ancestry, Chicago roots and most significantly, her deep Catholic faith. She kept a rosary close at hand, maintaining a lifelong habit of prayer. She was especially devoted to St. Padre Pio. As she grew older and more cautious, especially after having a bout with Covid, she was a devoted parishioner of the “Heart of the Nation”, while also continuing to be engaged at her home parish of St Eugene’s. One of her treasured memories is of attending Mass at St Eugene’s close to her 103rd Birthday and having the whole congregation sing “Happy Birthday” to her.
Please join the family on June 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM for Visitation followed at 11:00 AM with a Funeral Mass, both at St Eugene Church, 7600 N. Port Washington Rd, Fox Point, WI 53217. A reception in the church narthex will follow. A private Internment service for the family will take place later in the afternoon.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Michael Fetherston, her personal physician and long-time family friend, for his help during this time. They also thank the staff at Horizon Lawlis Family Hospice for the wonderful care she received after the devastating stroke which took her to a heavenly home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in Coletta’s name to St Eugene School.