Monday, January 13, 2025
Oct.6, 1925 – Aug. 6, 2013
Born in Tomahawk to Frank and Jennie Theiler, Mary attended St. Mary’s School in Tomahawk and Edgewood High School in Madison. Mary ventured out after attending college, working as a model in Milwaukee until joining Capitol Airlines as a stewardess. While stationed in Pittsburgh, she met and married Air Force pilot Michael Novak.
While stationed in Madison, Wis., they built their cottage on Crystal Lake. They moved from Newfoundland to north Texas to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. They retired to San Antonio, Tex., and made their permanent home there.
Mary and Mike celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2002, happy together until Mike died in 2009.
Mary and Mike enjoyed every summer at their lake cottage in Tomahawk where they loved to entertain family and friends. Mary was an excellent cook, played golf, loved the water, played cards, enjoyed traveling and a good mystery book. She always had a smile and a nice compliment for those around her.
Mary is survived by daughters Kathy (Larry) Tarkington and Nancy (Timothy) Desmond as well as four grandchildren and four great-granddaughters.
Services for Mary will be on Monday, July 1 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Visitation will take place at 10 a.m. with a Mass of the Resurrection at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Calvary cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s School or the Tomahawk Public Library.
