Mary Ellen Maher, 52, joined God's band of angels after passing away peacefully on July 29, 2015. She fought a heroic battle with cancer over the past five years, and although she left us too soon, her resiliency, heart, and faith provided a great inspiration for her family and friends. Mary was born on March 1, 1963 to Dr. William H. Lucas, Sr. and Anna Lucas (Schmidt) in Everett, Washington, and spent much of her youth waterskiing, boating, and swimming at Lake Stevens, where her family moved when Mary was still a young girl. Mary graduated with honors from Everett High School (1981), Seattle University, and Oregon Health Sciences, where she earned an advanced degree as a dental hygienist, which led to a vocation she found very fulfilling and in which she took great pride. She moved to New York City where she began her career and lived several years before returning to the area to be closer to her family. In 1994 she married her husband, Dennis Maher, and they made their home and raised their three daughters in Mill Creek for the past 21 years. Mary was a perfectionist, with a heart of gold, and took great pride in raising her daughters and being their close friend, confidant, protector, and loving mother. She will now be watching over them from heaven. Mary was a great and caring daughter, mother, wife, and friend, as well as loving caregiver to her dogs, Duke and Daisy, who were her constant companions over the past eight years. She found great joy in cheering on the local sports teams, especially her daughters' teams and the UW Huskies, and in supporting many worthwhile, charitable causes over the years. She loved concerts, musicals, fashion, and "Days of Our Lives," a show that she and her mother never missed or failed to discuss in their daily, marathon phone conversations. She loved all her family, and they already miss her dearly. She will hold a special place in each of her loved ones' hearts.

Published in The Herald (Everett) on July 31, 2015 [Edited]