Rosalia “May” (Stary) Cody

Rosalia “May” (Stary) Cody

May 25, 1925 – March 23, 2022

May was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, to Henry Malone and Rosalia Rebecca Donahue.  She was preceded in death by Frank C. Stary, Sr. (1951), William T. Cody (1980); sister, Mildred Donoho; brother; Ernest Donahue; and daughters-in-law, Patty Stary and Betty Cody.

She will be lovingly remembered by sons: James G. (Marty), Frank C. (Patty), Ernest M. (Melinda), Robert L. (Sue) Stary; William T. (Tammy) and John J. (Rose) Cody; 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild; plus a host of extended family and friends.

May attended Beals and Yates Grade Schools and graduated from Tech High School in 1944.  She worked at Mutual of Omaha, U.S. National Bank and was a manager of CopyCat in South Omaha retiring in 1989.

VISITATION: Sunday, March 27^th, after 5pm with VIGIL SERVICE at 7pm at West Center Chapel.  MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Monday, March 28^th, 10:30am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 5419 N. 114^th Street.  Interment: Resurrection Cemetery.  Memorials may be directed to the family.

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May was born in Leavenworth Kansas to Henry Malone and Rosalia Rebecca Donahue on May 25, 1925. They moved to Omaha three years later. She attended Beals and Yates grade schools and graduated from Tech High in 1944. After graduation she worked at Mutual of Omaha. In 1946 May met Frank Charles Stary at a company picnic with her sister Millie. They soon married and eventually had three boys—Jimmy, Frankie, and Ernie—and May was pregnant with a fourth child when Frank C. Sr. “Fuzzy” came down with cancer. He passed away on December 27, 1951 at the age of 29 years. May gave birth to the fourth son, Robert, on May 22, 1952. As a single mother with four boys to support, she returned to work with help from her sister and mother.

May and her sister, Millie, enjoyed roller skating every chance they could get. She met William T. Cody at the Roller Bowl on Leavenworth St.  They dated and she remarried in 1956 and had two more boys, William Jr. and John Cody. Bill and May enjoyed the outdoors and bought a camping trailer and joined several camping clubs with family. They went to several state parks and Civil War battle fields. In 1980 Bill passed away. May was left a widow again. Not letting this get her down, she concentrated on raising her boys and taking up several hobbies, including ceramics, scrap booking, knitting, and calligraphy. She worked for Copycat as manager of South Omaha Office, retiring in 1989. She spent many years volunteering as an adopted grandparent at several Omaha Public Schools.

She later won an award “Resident of The Year” for Nebraska in 2012 from NAHRO (National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials) Nebraska Chapter. She will be truly missed.

The family would like to thank the staffs of Southview Heights, Brookestone Meadows and Endless Journey Hospice for their professional care of May.