Mary Katherine Folz
Mary Katherine Folz, a longtime resident of Northside passed away Thursday, December 31, 2020 at the age of 96. Her passing was peaceful, and she was surrounded by loving family members.
Born on April 1, 1924, Mary was the first child of Mary Elizabeth O’Connor Grimes and Fred
Hale Grimes of Sparta, in Gallatin County Kentucky. Mary’s siblings include the late James Carrol Grimes, the late Jean Grimes Russ, and fraternal twins (who died in infancy). Mary’s long life and tireless energy enabled her to achieve great success in the many life roles for her family, business, and local communities. The advent of World War II brought about tremendous social change, as Mary left a teaching role in her hometown of Sparta-Warsaw and moved to Cincinnati with her family to work in the Wright’s war plants. As the war was at its highest, Mary entered a marriage with Bert Holt and started her first family with the birth of Phillip, and later the birth of Nancy.
After the war, Mary took on employment at Wagner’s Jewelry Store in Northside, followed by employment at Cincinnati Bell as a supervisor to support her family. With her second marriage to Sylvester “Woody” Folz of Northside, Mary became a stay-at-home mom and started a second family with the birth of Michael, followed by Patrick. When the boys started school,Mary became a parent volunteer in numerous capacities leading to full-time employment and an 18-year career with Cincinnati Public Schools. Mary will best be remembered for the energy and staunch advocacy she provided to the thousands of children that passed through the doors of Kirby Road Elementary School.
After the unexpected death of Sylvester, she would reunite a friendship with her childhood sweetheart, Russell Hall of Warsaw, Kentucky. With their food truck joint-enterprise (affectionally called the Weenie Wagon), Russ and Mary became well known around Gallatin and adjacent counties serving a multitude of customers at local auctions, yard sales, and County Fairs. Besides traveling for fun, Russ and Mary enjoyed greeting and meeting all their friends in Warsaw and Sparta. Russ and Mary’s reunited friendship continued for 37 years until his death in September 2017.
Mary is survived by her four children, Phillip (Jillian) Holt, Nancy Holt, Michael Folz, Patrick (Mary) Folz, and stepdaughter Kathryn (Ray) Long. Grandchildren, April (Matt) Murray, January Holt, Jeff Lehn, Katie (Ryan) Scott, Peter Folz, Grace Folz, Samuel Folz, Laurie (Ted) Hensley, Susan (Gary) Stern, and Angi (Danny) Prows; numerous great-grandchildren;nephew Randy Grimes, niece Amy (Suzie) Russ, and special sister-in-law, Lee Tartar.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, January 6th at 11:00 AM at the Hodapp Funeral Home, located in College Hill, 6041 Hamilton Ave., followed by a brief Christian service and personal remembrances at 12:00. Graveside burial services will be privately held at a later arranged date in Warsaw, Kentucky. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Cincinnati P.O. Box 633597 Cincinnati, Ohio 45263.
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