Mary Ann Catherine Cieslik Flaherty

Mary Ann Catherine Cieslik Flaherty, longtime resident of the Wood River Valley, passed away in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and faithful member of her community and church. Idaho was her lifelong home in spirit and residence.

Mary Ann was born on August 10, 1929, in Omaha, Nebraska, to John and Katherine Cieslik. She was raised in a Catholic family and received a Catholic education through high school, completing the 12th grade in Omaha. As a teenager, she worked as a nurse’s assistant in a local hospital, an early reflection of her lifelong heart for service.

At just 18 years old, Mary Ann planned what was meant to be a short trip to California with a friend, however, the two stopped in Sun Valley—and never made it any farther. Captivated by the valley, Mary Ann returned briefly to Omaha to tell her parents she was moving, and then settled permanently in Ketchum, Idaho.

Mary Ann met her future husband, Jack Flaherty, who had come west from Malden, Massachusetts, on a ski trip two years later. Both worked for the Sun Valley Company and lived in the employee dormitories, where dances and shared community life sparked their courtship. After one year of dating, they were married on November 22, 1951, in Omaha, Nebraska.

Best known for being incredibly hardworking, Mary Ann served for many years as a waitress in Ketchum/Sun Valley, including the Tram, the Christiana, the Ram Restaurant, the Konditorei, and Gretchen’s in Sun Valley. While raising her children, she also provided childcare in her home for many local families, becoming a steady and trusted presence in the community.

Mary Ann and Jack lived in several small rental homes around Ketchum before purchasing a half-acre lot on Warm Springs in 1957 for $852, saved entirely from Mary Ann’s waitressing tips. Though she initially felt the location was “too far from town,” Jack convinced her it was perfect. Together—with help from two of Mary Ann’s brothers, friends, and neighbors—they built their family home largely by hand, living in the basement while construction continued over three years. Mary Ann lived in that home until 2008, shortly after Jack’s passing, when she moved to a condominium in Ketchum so she could continue to enjoy views of Bald Mountain. Mary Ann was a devoted parishioner of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Ketchum and a longtime alto of the church choir. She was active in the American Legion Auxiliary, participated in community life, and volunteered for many years at St. Luke’s Hospital. In 2022, she was honored as a member of the Blaine County Heritage Court, representing the City of Ketchum and riding in summer parades following her coronation at the Community Campus.

Mary Ann’s hobbies reflected both her creativity and her love of life. She sewed both personally and professionally and took great joy in creating beautiful quilts, a passion she shared with her daughter, Kathy. She enjoyed golfing, swimming, and skiing—especially at Dollar Mountain, while Jack favored Baldy. Together, they played integral roles in teaching their four children and three grandchildren to ski. Mary Ann also embraced travel and adventure throughout her life, delighting in snorkeling with Jack on tropical vacations, parasailing in Mexico with her granddaughters, and visiting Israel in the 1990s—an experience she cherished deeply and spoke of often.

Mary Ann never lost her sense of curiosity or courage. On her 80th birthday, she fulfilled one of her more daring dreams by paragliding off Bald Mountain, joined by her son Michael, proving that adventure had no age limit.

When in her kitchen, Mary Ann would make sure you knew that there were two proper towels, one for hands and one for drying dishes. Having the kitchen spotless and the dishes done was an expectation before anybody could be dismissed to play. Gratitude was expected, manners mattered, and family always came first. She spent many years welcoming children into her home while her own children were at school, offering care, structure, and kindness that left a lasting impression on many families.

Mary Ann returned to Omaha every other year to visit her parents and five brothers, all of whom preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack Flaherty.

She is survived by her children, Donna (Scott) Scifres, Bill Flaherty, Michael (Beth Ann) Flaherty, and Kathy (Gary) Dempsay; grandchildren, Tanya Scifres, Vanessa (Cody) Gibbs, Sean (Jessica) Dempsay; and her cherished great-granddaughter, Olivia Gibbs.

A Memorial Service will be held in late spring or early summer at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Ketchum, Idaho, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley or Blaine County Senior Connection.

Mary Ann lived a life rooted in faith, family, hard work, and adventure. Her legacy remains in the community she helped shape, the family she loved fiercely, and the many lives she touched along the way.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Mary Ann’s memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.