Mrs. Mary Catherine Holt, Indianapolis, passed away on the morning of Friday, October 30, 2020 at Compass Park-Franklin. She was 96. Mary was born February 24, 1924 in Humbolt, Tennessee a daughter of the late Joseph and Lorene (Cooke) Gardner.

Mary attended school in Tennessee and after coming to Indiana, worked for 20 years at Beal's Clothing where she was store manager for several of those years. She was a collector of antiques, especially paperweights as well as porcelain butterflies and bird figurines. She also enjoyed gardening, raising flowers and cucumbers which became her famous pickles. A wonderful cook, she was especially known for her Pineapple Upside-down Cake. Mary was a very meticulous and particular lady and was always impeccably dressed and was also a wonderful decorator.

Mary deeply loved her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and cherished the time she could spend with them. She was a strong-willed woman and had a spunky side to her, but everyone who knew her fell in love with her. She was a ray of sunshine and cared for everyone and even those who took care of her at Compass Park, called her Mom. She was a selfless wife and mother and all who knew her will miss her spunkiness and her bright and energetic blue eyes.

Mary was a member of Lifepoint Church in Indianapolis.

She is survived by her daughter, Katherine "Kay' Herald; her grandchildren, Matt Herald and Shelley (Wade) Lytle and her great-grandchildren, Chance (Mackenna) Lytle and Collin Lytle and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in passing by her husband, Milton Leonard Holt as well as her siblings, Guy Gardner, Carl Gardner, James Gardner, Thelma Dobbins and Annie Dixon.

Services for Mary will be private with entombment following at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.