Mary Kubiak

Mary Kubiak, 89, died peacefully in her home in Boulder City, NV on July 22, 2021. She was surrounded by loving family—all three of her children, her daughter in law, and her three grandchildren were present when she passed.

Mary was born in 1932 in Denver, CO, to Alice Wilson Neville and Glenn Neville. She spent her early childhood in Colorado and then moved to New York City when her father became the editor of the prestigious Hearst newspaper the New York Mirror. During those years, she met many luminaries, including Shirley Temple and Eleanor Roosevelt.

When Mary was in high school, she moved to Boulder City with her mother, Alice Neville, who had a long career in administration at Hoover Damn. Mary attended Boulder City High School where she was elected Prom Queen her junior year. She later married Captain James Welsh USAF, who also attended Boulder City High, and was a graduate of United States Naval Academy—Annapolis. They had two children, Leslie and Robert. After his death while in service in 1963, she married John Kubiak, USAF, with whom she had one child, Michelle.

Mary was a lifelong military wife who raised three children and maintained an active social and work life while moving and setting up house all over the country. She earned a Masters degree in Education from McKendree University in Illinois, and went on to teach children with special needs. She especially loved her years teaching English as a Second Language to foreign students at Cornell University.

She had a uniquely cheerful disposition, a wicked sense of humor and an infectious laugh. She established warm and loving relationships with people from all walks of life in all the places she lived. She will be sorely missed by the many people who had the good fortune to bask in the glow of her affectionate attention. She was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother.

Mary is preceded in death by her first husband, Captain James C. Welsh, who died in 1963, as well as her second husband of over 50 years, Col. John M. Kubiak, who died on June 22, 2020. She is survived by her three children, Leslie Welsh, Robert Welsh, and Michelle Kubiak; son-in-law Ray Benzing and daughter-in-law Lori Chong; three grandchildren, Sam Benzing, Grace Benzing, and Elva Kubiak Loomis; her second cousins Danny and Bobbe Wilson; her two cats, Sparkle and Shines, and her dog, Lucky.

Mary’s remains will be buried at the Boulder City Veterans Memorial Cemetery alongside the remains of her second husband, Col. John M. Kubiak. An official service will be held at the cemetery chapel on Tuesday, August 3rd at 10:40am. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Native American Veterans Association (NAVA) in Mary’s name would be appreciated. PO Box 2075, Downey, CA 90242 https://www.navavets.org/ Family and friends can sing an online memorial guest book at www.bouldercityfamilymortuary.com