Mary Katherine (“Mary Kay”) Hummel, 84, of Otway, formerly of Columbus, died Thursday, January 23, 2025 at SOMC Hospice in Portsmouth, OH. She was born April 1, 1940 in Columbus to the late Lawrence and Hester (Moore) Hummel. Mary Kay is survived by her sister, Loretta Mammen and husband Sam of San Antonio, TX, two nieces, Sarah Joseph and husband Shervin, and Suzanne Mammen, a nephew, Christopher Mammen and wife Ari, and a cousin, Steve Skinner and wife Cindy of Columbus. She is also survived by her dear friends, Rita Frye of Otway, Father John Statmiller of Otway, Marian Beckett of McDermott, and Jeff Stewart of the Immigrant Worker Project.
Mary Kay graduated from Saint Joseph High School in Columbus in 1958, then from the Ohio State University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts in English, and completed her Master of Divinity from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, OH.
While living in Columbus, Mary Kay worked for Community Action of Head Start. She also taught as an adjunct professor at the Ohio State University, and then at Saint Joseph Academy, an all girls high school in Columbus.
Once Mary Kay arrived in Scioto County, she began teaching religion at Notre Dame High School, and then became the Religious Formation Director under Father John Statmiller and Father David Young at the three West Side parishes (Our Lady of Lourdes [OLL], Otway, OH; Our Lady of Sorrows [OLS], West Portsmouth, OH; Holy Trinity [HT], Pond Creek, OH).
Mary Kay intentionally spent her life radically committed to the social gospel. Through her persistent and vibrant Catholic faith, she resiliently remained committed to loving God and loving others, especially those on the margins. She exhibited this divine love in many ways.
To begin, Mary Kay co-founded and lived in an intentional community named Anawim House in Otway. From this community flowed much of her life’s work in rural Scioto County. For example, she worked with the Spanish community as inspired by her involvement with the Immigrant Worker Project, she helped operate and volunteered at Born Again clothing store, she hosted and cooked for service groups, she directed religious formation at the three West Side parishes (OLL, OLS, HT), and she introduced Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to them as well, to name a few. As can be seen through these examples, Mary Kay fearlessly listened to and advocated on behalf of the marginalized.
Mary Kay was a life-long learner and a natural evangelist. Her thirst to know God led her to pursue graduate work and earn her MDiv, as well as participate as a member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars. Her studies did not end here, though. Surrounded by a library that would make a theologian jealous, she spent countless hours enriching her own faith and then sharing her knowledge with others.
May the God of Love Whom she sought her entire life envelop her with eternal peace and joy.
A visitation for friends and family will be from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at Melcher Hammer Funeral Home in Portsmouth. A recitation of the Rosary will follow at 7:00 PM.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Pond Creek with Father Michael Fulton officiating. Immediately following Mass, there will be a Mercy Meal provided for everyone in attendance at the Trinity Hall.
A second visitation will be 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Thursday, January 30, 2025 in Columbus at Maeder, Quint, Tiberi Funeral Home, 1068 S. High Street, Columbus, OH 43206, and burial will follow visitation at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
