Mary Ann Heagney

Mary Ann Heagney passed away peacefully on October 10th, 2024, at Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital surrounded by her husband, two daughters and son-in-law. She was 65 years old. Remembered as a loving, nurturing, and bright woman, she will be missed by her family and many beloved friends.

Mary Ann was born on April 13th, 1959, at Saint James Hospital in Butte, MT to William G. Weraja and Catherine Jean Stabilla Boggs (née Sullivan). Her name was chosen by her mother after the Virgin Mary and her paternal grandmother, “Anna.” 

Mary Ann was raised in Butte, MT by her mother and stepfather, William “Bill” Boggs. She was an only child, and grew up dreaming of having a big family of her own. Her parents imparted the qualities of hard work, honesty, respect for one’s elders, and treating others the way you want to be treated. She attended Emerson Kindergarten, St. Ann’s (1st-4th grade), Greeley (5th & 6th), East Junior High (7th-9th), and Butte High School. She went on to attend Montana State University in Bozeman, MT where she earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology with an emphasis on clinical laboratory science. At MSU, she pledged Alpha Gamma Delta and made lasting friendships in her sorority. She completed her microbiology internship at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA from 1981 to 1982, where she made dear, lifelong friends and remembers this time as “a very memorable” and formative year. 

After college her first job was at Westside Laboratory in Butte, MT. She moved to Bozeman in 1983, and started working at the “old” Bozeman Deaconess Hospital in the lab. She dedicated 24 years of service to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. She also worked for a short time in Livingston, MT in the hospital lab, and ended her microbiology career at Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Bozeman, MT in 2017. She was exceptionally knowledgeable and curious in her field, as she embodied a true passion for microbiology and science. 

Mary Ann met the love of her life, Raymond Francis Heagney, on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend, Dan Gaffney, in December 1988. They went out for a pizza dinner and to a MSU basketball game. The two dated for eight months before becoming engaged. Mary Ann and Ray were standing in Ray’s kitchen, when Ray mentioned that a friend had asked him when they were going to get married, to which Mary Ann answered, “So are we?” Mary Ann remembers thinking, “is this really how he is going to propose?!” Mary Ann and Ray were married on January 13th, 1990 at Holy Rosary Church in Bozeman, MT. Their early years of marriage were filled with home improvement projects, adventures with their first dog, Reilly, taking many wonderful trips down the Smith River, and dreaming of starting a family. 

Mary Ann had simple, yet fulfilling hobbies and personal interests. She loved to camp with her family every summer, her favorite being the annual trip to Flathead Lake. She is remembered for her fervent commitment to making holidays and birthdays special and memorable for her family and friends. A content homebody, she loved to watch the wild birds eat from the bird feeders outside her kitchen window, tend to her vegetable and flower gardens, and experiment with old and new recipes alike. She is famously remembered for her delicious baked goods, elaborately decorated holiday cookies, and scrumptious candies, but most of all for her homemade Butte pasties. She loved music and developed a vast and varied vinyl and CD collection over the years, with her truest musical passion being rock and roll. She loved attending concerts and seeing her favorites perform live, which included, to name a few, U2, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, and most recently, Pink in Missoula. She loved her family and friends fiercely. In most recent years she basked in the joy and exuberance of her two and a half year old granddaughter. 

Mary Ann is survived by her husband Ray Heagney, her daughters Carrie Lucy (Caleb) and Christina Heagney, her granddaughter Thalia Lucy, and her yellow lab, Brisco. She was preceded in death by her parents Catherine Jean Stabilla Boggs and William G. Weraja, and stepfather William Boggs. 

A memorial service/celebration of life will be held at a later date.