Mary Suzanne Kirkner

Mary Suzanne Kirkner, 77, of Spring Township, peacefully passed away on May 3, 2026. Born in New Kensington, PA, she was the daughter of George W. and Audrey Edith (Culham) Veitch. Mary was the loving spouse of Raymond C. Kirkner, Jr., with whom she shared 56 years of marriage.

Mary was a 1966 graduate of Valley High School in New Kensington. She furthered her education at Grove City College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1970. Her first and favorite job was that of a homemaker. Mary started her career as a preschool teacher at Trinity Lutheran Church. She worked for Wilson School District at Central Junior High/West Middle School in many capacities from October of 1991 until her retirement in January 2014. Mary started out as a Study Hall Assistant at Central Junior High and in 1993, she became a Computer Lab Assistant. In 2009, she took a position as Library Technical Assistant, which she maintained until her retirement in 2014.

Mary was known for her witty sense of humor and her great legs, according to her friends! Among her colleagues, she was a guiding light—someone others naturally turned to for wisdom and support. She found joy in simple pleasures like reading and spending time in libraries, always eager to learn something new. Mary also cherished her role as a wife to Ray, and together they created treasured memories traveling to their favorite warm-weather destinations, including St. Lucia, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. She also enjoyed trips to Disney with her grandchildren, whom she loved dearly.

In addition to her spouse, Mary is survived by her daughter, Bethany L. (Young) Kirkner, of Wyomissing, and her son, Andrew G. Kirkner (Lauren), of Palos Heights, IL. She will be missed by her grandchildren: Cooper J. Young, Cullen Kirkner, and Teagan Kirkner. Mary is also survived by her sister, Andrea Dudley (Dennis) and her sister-in-law, Barbara Kirkner.

Mary was predeceased by her parents and brother, David Veitch.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 11AM at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading. Guests will be received from 10-11AM. Burial will be private.

Contributions in Mary's honor may be made to the Reading Hospital Foundation Attn: McGlinn Cancer Institute-Hematology, P.O. Box 16052, Reading, PA 19612.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home is honored to serve the Kirkner family. Condolences may be written online at KuhnFuneralHomes.com.