Mass of Christian burial for Mary Catherine (Bouchard) Epley will be 10:00am Monday, December 29, 2014 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Reverend Rajesh Mankenna officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home.

Mary B. was born May 7, 1936 and was adopted by Florence Veronica Gartland Bouchard and Joseph Edgar (Ed) Bouchard of Little Rock, Arkansas. Mary passed away suddenly at home on Monday, December 22, 2014.

The Bouchards relocated to Enid from Arkansas, when Mary entered the fourth grade, so Mr. Bouchard could manage the JCPenney store in downtown Enid. Mary attended McKinley grade school, Emerson Junior High, and graduated from Enid High School in 1954.

Mary met the love of her life, Gerald (Jerry) Epley, while attending Mount Vernon Jr. College in Washington, DC. She later transferred to the University of Oklahoma to major in Elementary Education, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She never gave up on the man of her dreams, and kept a long distance relationship with Jerry while he attended West Point. Mary taught first grade in Pass Christian, Mississippi while Jerry started his career in the US military. Mary and Jerry wed on June 15, 1961 in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Mary and Jerry lived in Munich, Germany during Jerry's first assignment, where their two daughters, Susan and Carolyn, were born. Mary and Jerry's love endured eleven other moves around the United States, as well as three difficult years while Jerry served as an Army Ranger in Vietnam. When the war ended, the family moved to Mary's favorite place in the world, Enid, Oklahoma in 1975.. Jerry worked for Union Equity in Enid and later for Farmland in Kansas City.

Since Mary and Jerry's first date was on a tennis court, Mary loved the sport of tennis; which she passed on to her daughters and many of her friends in Enid during the 1970's. Mary not only enjoyed playing and competing in tennis tournaments, she also taught tennis to dozens of people. Mary's sense of humor and patience made the game fun for everyone.

Even if you did not know Mary personally, you might have known her smile and friendly personality. No one was a stranger in Mary's bright blue eyes and she could make anyone's day a little brighter with the happiness that she loved to share. Mary was a devout Catholic who attended St. Gregory's Catholic Church. Mary was a kind, caring person and a faithful member of Chapter DO of PEO.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Florence and Ed Bouchard.

Mary is survived by her husband, Jerry of the home; daughters, Susan Epley and Carolyn Nicholas of Enid. In addition, she is survived by son-in-law, Jay Nicholas and grandsons, Stephen, John and Brent Nicholas.

Memorial donations can be made to Our Daily Bread, Alzheimers Association, Sisters of the Precious Blood, or Enid Tennis Association with the funeral home acting as custodians of the funds.

Condolences and remembrances of Mary may be given to the family online at www.enidwecare.com