2.16.10

Begley was proud of public service role
By: Joe Ruff, Omaha World-Herald

Mary Kay Begley, a former social studies teacher who served 21 years on the board of the Metropolitan Utilities District, died Monday after a long illness. She was 73.

She was proud of being the first woman to serve on M.U.D.'s board, and she had particular concern for low-income people who had trouble paying their heating bills, said her son, Brian Begley, who is principal of Millard North High School.

"She was proud to be a public servant," he said.

M.U.D. President Thomas Wurtz also noted Begley's dedication to heating assistance programs.

"She was always concerned about people who had run into tough economic times," he said.

First elected to the M.U.D. board in 1988, Begley was in the fourth year of her fourth six-year term.

She was born in Omaha. She went to college and taught school in Chicago before returning to Omaha and teaching in the public schools.

Survivors include her husband, Dan, four sons and 13 grandchildren.

Visitation and rosary will be at St. Cecilia Cathedral, 701 N. 40th St., beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday. Funeral services will be at the cathedral at 11:15 a.m. Friday.

Memorials will be directed to home heating assistance funds provided through M.U.D.

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