Mary Kay Gray Bousquet of Hermiston completed her work here on earth and entered her eternal life with her Lord Jesus on Jan. 30, 2026 in Kennewick, Wash. at the age of 85.
She was born on May 1, 1940 in La Grande to Lawrence and Edna Gray.
Mary resided in La Grande, Huntington and Pendleton before moving to Hermiston. She participated in tennis, softball and basketball, graduating from Hermiston High School in 1958. Mary maintained lifelong friendships with several female classmates known as “The Divas,” who met monthly for lunch. After graduating from high school, she attended Eastern Oregon College, pursuing a degree in education. Upon graduating from college, Mary married William “Bill” Howard Bousquet on Aug. 25, 1962 at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Hermiston. Due to Bill being in the Navy, the young couple traveled to San Diego, Hawaii and Seattle. Their first child, Karen, was born in 1964 followed by Mark in 1966, both in Long Beach, Calif. The family moved to Hawaii, Georgia and then Seattle, Wash., where son Matthew “Matt” was born in 1968.
The family eventually moved back to Hermiston in the early 1970s, where Mary began her over 30-year career with the Hermiston School District at Armand Larive Junior High School as a special education teacher. Mary continued her training at Western Oregon State College during summers. High points of her long commitment to serving special needs students included initiating a Special Olympics program in 1979 that has grown into a multi-sport organization involving over one hundred athletes. Mary was truly gifted in working with this specific student population. She was well respected by her colleagues. All of the assistants that worked with Mary felt valued and well trained.
In addition to being a Special Olympics coach for decades and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from Special Olympics Oregon, Mary was also a Catholic Daughter for almost 50 years.
Following retirement in 2003, Mary continued to reach out to those in need by serving as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in foster care for 17 years. Mary, along with good friend and colleague Chris Hull, attended almost every school board meeting and multiple sporting events when this dynamic duo were not traveling to Alaska, Germany, the Panama Canal and Canada to name a few destinations.
She is survived by son, Mark (Sonda); son-in-law, John; grandchildren, Christina (Bobby) Wright, John (Courtney) Connell and Jarett Bousquet; and great-grandchildren, Courtney, Caitlyn and Caleb.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother, Lawrence; sister, Patricia; husband, William; daughter, Karen; and son, Matthew.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 at 10 a.m., followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, Hermiston.
Burial will be at the Hermiston Cemetery, with a luncheon at the parish hall following the interment.
Memorial contributions can be made to either Catholic Daughters of the Americas or Special Olympics #510 (to support the local program) and mailed to Burns Mortuary, P.O. Box 289, Hermiston, Ore., 97838.
Please share memories of Mary with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
