Mary Kate Faloon

Mary Kate Faloon, 81, passed away Thursday, September 26, with family by her side, after a long battle with congestive heart failure. Mary Kate had a deep love for family and friends. She especially relished time with her grandchildren. She remembered everyone’s birthdays and mailed cards for all sorts of occasions. She even mailed cards for Halloween. Through thick and thin, she had an unwavering sense of humor and while small in stature, her indomitable spirit ensured she was always a presence and stayed connected with those she loved. Mary Catherine Foote was born April 3, 1943, the youngest of three children born to Dr. Catherine and Lucius Foote. She grew up on Hurlburt Road on the east side of Syracuse and was a lifelong resident of Central New York. She spoke fondly of childhood memories with her siblings, Knowlton and Lucy, and going to summer camp at nearby Camp Talooli. After graduating from Nottingham High School in 1961, Mary Kate attended the University of Maine Orono. Many members of Mary Kate’s family attended Syracuse University over the years, but she wanted to venture out on her own. She earned her teaching degree at UMO where she also met her future husband, Richard Faloon. After moving back to CNY, Mary Kate taught middle school science before changing gears to stay at home with her three sons. Later she worked for West Genesee Schools, which led to several subsequent positions for Onondaga County. She was always studying for and taking civil service tests to earn promotions. Mary Kate didn’t talk about work often, but at her retirement party in 2006 it was very evident how much her co-workers loved and respected her. Mary Kate was active in the community in many different ways. She was involved with dinner clubs, played soccer, and was a member of Onondaga Hill Players, a local theater group, for many years. This led to her being on the set of Paul Newman's “Slapshot.” She instilled in her family a passion for gardening, good food, and travel. She was especially fond of trips to Cape Cod and several years ago, after extensive preparation, she enjoyed a dream vacation in Tuscany, Italy. And no telling of Mary Kate’s life would be complete without mentioning how much she loved SU sports. She followed the football and basketball teams regardless of how well they were playing, and like a lot of people in CNY, she owned a lot of orange clothing. She was a dedicated fan whose enthusiasm led her to yelling at the TV when watching games—“Get him! Get him!”—often startling her grandchildren in the process. She kept up with baseball, too, because she knew her sons rooted for the Red Sox and Mets. Mary Kate is survived by her three sons; Mike (Johanna) Faloon, Patrick Faloon, and Casey (Becky) Faloon; grandchildren Maggie, Sean, Liam, and Olivia; step-grandchild Shep, and, of course, her cat Squeakers. Calling hours will be Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 4 to 6 pm at B.L. Bush & Sons Funeral Home, 10 Genesee St., Camillus. Funeral services are Thursday at 11 am at the funeral home. Burial will be held in North Syracuse Cemetery. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Arthritis Foundation at www.arthritis.org Please sign the guestbook at www.BLBUSH.com

Mary Kate Faloon

April 3, 1943 - September 26, 2024