Mary Danko Mulligan

Mary Mulligan, 96, of Charlotte, died Wednesday, September 11, 2013, at the Little Flower care facility in Charlotte. Mary Danko Mulligan was born Maria Balazova on August 9, 1917 in a small country village called Hazin in the Michalovce district of eastern Czechoslovakia. She was the youngest of nine children born to Juraj Balaz and Zuzaza Mikulova. Her parents were good, hard-working people who worked on a farm. They never owned a car and traveled to the market by horse and buggy. In 1937, Mary boarded a boat with no money in her pocket and headed to America in search of a better life filled with new opportunities. She immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island, and settled in Bayonne, NJ. Shortly after, Mary found love when she met John Danko at a dance in Jersey City, NJ. They were married on February 18, 1939. Mary and John had three children named Paula (b. 1940), John (b. 1942), and Eileen (b. 1945). After living in Bayonne and then Jersey City, they settled down at 233 Elizabeth Street, South Bound Brook, NJ. Nearby, they opened the Sunset Diner in Greenbrook, NJ. While John Danko ran the diner, Mary worked as a seamstress while raising her three beautiful children. On June 14th, 1956, Mary officially became an American citizen. In the mid-1970s, Mary and John retired to Ocala, Florida. Mary became active in the local Catholic Church, took up bowling, and traveled. She traveled to Rome where she visited the Vatican and met Venerable Pope Paul VI. She also later traveled to Jerusalem where she toured the Holy Land. Mary was a loving grandmother who spoiled her seven grandchildren: Raymond, Ricky, Michael, Mark, Carol, Gregory, and Kristin. She was known for knitting beautiful sweaters, making well-tailored clothes, and cooking delicious traditional Slovak meals, like haluski, halupki, pierogis, and poppyseed bread. In 2001, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to live with her son John and daughter-in-law Connie. Shortly thereafter, she became a member of the Little Flower Assisted Living family. Connie loved Mary as if she were her own mother. She and John took special care to visit her regularly, and Connie stayed with her by her bedside in her final hours. Mary lived her life for her family and loved ones - driven by her faith, strength, and determination. The love and life she gave to those around her was returned tenfold as she filled so many lives with laughter and joy. Mary was loved until her final moments by her family – particularly Connie and John, and the staff at Little Flower. It was this love that kept her with us – stubborn and determined until her last breath – until the age of 96. Mary was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. She touched so many lives and she will be missed by all. Mary Danko is survived by her three children, her seven grandchildren, and her four great grandchildren. Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home of Charlotte has been given the privilege of serving Mary and her family. For full details, please visit Mary’s online memorial at www.LoweNeddoFuneralHome.com or call 704-545-3553. Arrangements in Ocala, Florida, are being handled by Forest Lawn Memorial Park of Ocala.

Mary Danko Mulligan

August 9, 1917 - September 11, 2013