Mary Jane Delphenich (Cerino)

Our mother was born Mary Jane Cerino on October 20th 1934 in the state of Washington in the town of Mt. Vernon. She was the oldest child of Michael and Laura Cerino. She had two younger siblings Michael Cerino and Charles Davis.


Our mother wasn't born Catholic she actually was a Baptist until she was about 5 years old. The story goes Mom was 4 years old, would sit and listen to the music coming from the Protestant Church, but the most beautiful music came from the Catholic church on the corner. So she snuck into the church choir loft and started singing with the nuns in the choir. They loved her voice and she would sneak out of the house every Sunday to go sing with the Catholics. This went on for a few Sundays in a row until our Grandma Laura caught her coming out of the Catholic Church. Grandma asked her what she was doing at that church mom said “The people here sing prettier momma, can't I stay and sing with them”. Not sure of the rest of the details of the story but in the following year Grandma had Mom and Uncle Mickey both baptized and so began her journey as a Catholic.


Our mother was raised during the depression, during that time many families were torn apart because of lack of money and food. My mother's family was no different, her father left and went to Alaska and paned for gold, her mother had to work long hours as a waitress and there was no one to watch the kids, so my Mom was sent to Holy Names Academy where she was cared for by nuns. She has so many stories about her time there but she told me her faith grew inside those school walls. She graduated in 1952 from Lincoln High School and joined the Navy. She came to San Diego NTC training boot camp and was placed in Telemen school, where she learned secret coding. There she met her future husband and the LOVE OF HER LIFE.. Robert J. Delphenich, he was her instructor. Also in the training school she met her first love, Robert Tupper. They were married for 13 years and built a life together, had 4 children Laurie, Cheri, Bobby, Mary Ellen. Life took our mom from one coast to another and back again and sometime in 1974 she made her way back to Robert Delphenich's heart and sometime later they were married at St. Pius X by Father Joe Carroll.


When our mother became the housekeeper at St. Pius X, she cared for many priests over the 10 years she was employed there, Monsignor McKinley, Father Kulleck, Father John, Father Pat McNamara, Father Paul, Father Dan, Father Joe Masier. So many to name. She would sew their clothes and prepare their meals, plan their parties, worry about them when they were sick. She was a true House Mother.
She was a member of the A&R and held just about all the offices through the years, but she liked best Cheerful Chairman. She loved writing out cards putting that personal touch to someone who was sick or sad. Our parents together were very involved in so many committees at St. Pius X, K of C, Bazaar, Drama ministry and our school.


During our mother's time on this earth she traveled and would always stop for Sunday mass wherever she was. But Saint Pius the X was her true home, where her heart and her faith remained until her death.