Marianna Bury

Marianna Bury, devoted Catholic Daughter, passed away at Baptist Health Center on July 31, 2025. Born in Germany, October 7, 1946, her father Peter and mother Weronika emigrated to the United States after WWII. Peter was originally sponsored by a dairy farmer in Louisiana, who was not able to hire more hands, so they relocated to the Midwest for a short time before settling in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Peter worked at Finkbeiner Packing Company and Weronika was a ceramic tile maker. Money was tight so the family tended a cow at their home for milk (raised other animals too), and tilled a garden beside their house, sharing the bounty God provided the Bury’s with many neighbors and friends. As a young girl, Marianna’s dad taught her how to fend for herself by sending her on his business to local stores and paying bills, banking, etc. She wowed retail professionals with her subject knowledge and keen negotiating skills, and learned basic handyman skills as well.

Devout Catholics, the family attended St. Patrick Parish just a few footsteps from their home, and Marianna went to grade school there. Her high school was Mount Saint Mary Academy where she made many lifelong friends. She went on to Little Rock University (UALR) earning a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in History.

During her career, she spent over 44 years as a Social Case Worker with Arkansas DHS. She loved her ministry and accepted even the “tough” cases. Marianna was not afraid to tend to and advise low-income Arkansans personally in their homes…in the worst of neighborhoods and unsafe conditions. She excelled at her work and was a kind supervisor, allowing her coworkers to go home early if their case work was complete, while she remained in the office and continued to document her case activities. She understood the importance of planning for retirement and advised many of her coworkers to do so, even when they made poor decisions.

Marianna nursed both her mother and father when their health declined to heart issues and cancers. She also bravely fought cancer, enduring the side effects from a marathon surgery and biweekly chemotherapy treatments at CARTI. Marianna prayed for God’s healing and engaged many saints, priests and lay ministers to intercede for her. Her vast network of friends and acquaintances kept her spirits lifted – she accepted her mortality. God especially reminded her of this when her close friend Bonnie Crocheron passed away two weeks before Marianna.

Marianna was a kind, generous and giving soul. She contributed hours of her time and personal resources to PRE at several parishes including Saint Patrick, Immaculate Conception, and others. She loved shopping for trinkets and candy for her children, all with the purpose of helping them learn about the foundations of their faith.

She co-led the Silver Shamrocks in their quest for religious knowledge and caring for each other.

She loved gardening and had a passion for pets, especially cats.

Generous? Abounding generosity. Her history of giving includes many parishes in the Diocese of Little Rock: Saint Patrick, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Holy Souls, Immaculate Conception, Christ the King and others. She gladly supports Catholic Daughters of the Americas, The Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Little Rock, Our House, Mount Saint Mary Academy, Saint Joseph Orphanage and farmstand, Emergency Animal Shelter North Little Rock, Helping Hand, Union Rescue Mission/Dorcas House.

Marianna especially thanks many, many special people: Fathers Andrew Hart, Jack Vu, Nathan Ashburn, Juan Guido, Daniel Velasco, all the Eucharistic Ministers who came to her bedside in the hospital so many times, Sisters Anna and Cecilia, all her numerous friends and acquaintances who gave their time and resources to enable Marianna to pursue her love of Christ.

She impacted many souls, and late in life God delivered a special friend Kayce Kirchner and her sons Austin and Junior, who…made her smile and laugh. She knew they loved Skittles and made sure they had plenty of their favorite treat. She was especially proud when she heard the boys stood up to help a classmate overcome diversity. God certainly works in mysterious ways. Kayce was a friendly, empathetic ear to Marianna, even when she was experiencing her own personal issues. Marianna returned love to Kayce and the boys as if they were her family.

Marianna had so many healthcare professionals to thank and pray for: Doctors Naveen Yarlagadda, Shannon Zehteban, Prabhat Hebbar, the many nurses at CARTI and Baptist Health, The Medicine Shoppe North Little Rock – especially Chrissie and staff. Andover Place, The Blossoms, and several other rehab hospitals provided care and attention to Marianna. She is eternally grateful and did her best in her own special way to thank them.

Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home will host a Visitation on Wednesday August 6, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. with a Rosary following. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Thursday, August 7, at Saint Patrick Church with burial following at Calvary Cemetery.

God loves us all. Share your love with each other. Amen.

Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St. North Little Rock, AR 72114. 501-758-1170.