Obituary of Mary Therese McCauley Sajben

In the early morning hours of June 6, 2023, Mary Therese McCauley Sajben passed away peacefully at Enloe Regional Medical Center after spending the weekend surrounded by her family and loved ones. Mary was 90 years old.

Born in 1932, in Providence, RI, to parents John L. and Helen C. McCauley, Mary grew up and was educated in the area along with her four siblings. She received her BA from Rhode Island College in 1954 and later a Master of Education degree from Massachusetts State University in Boston. As an NSF scholarship recipient for a year of graduate studies, she also studied at the Academic Year Institute of Mathematics in San Diego.

After starting her teaching career at Barrington Junior High (RI) in 1954, she continued on at Classical High School in Providence for two years. She ultimately landed at Dedham Junior High School (MA) where she was the head of the mathematics department for four years. Mary took a fifteen-year hiatus to raise her family, then returned to teaching once settled in Chesterfield, MO (a suburb of St. Louis). Outside the classroom, she was engaged in the Math-Science Network (MSN), an organization dedicated to promoting interest for math and science among young girls. She was the coordinator for two MSN conferences in St. Louis, each hosting over 150 girls. She retired from teaching in 1992.

In 1962, while teaching in Dedham, she met Miklos Sajben, who was attending graduate school in Boston. They married in 1963 and raised three children: Paul, Stephen, and Jeanne. The oldest, Paul (also a Chico resident), is married to Erika with whom he has three children: Alexandra, Nicholas, and Caroline. Stephen lives in St. Louis, married to Gayla with whom he has four children: Stone, Devon, Liam, and Rhegan. Mary’s daughter, Jeanne, lives in Fort Worth, TX, with her husband Cass and their four girls: Abigail, Allie, Abigail and Aidan.

While their lives began together in Boston, Mary and Miklos have had many stops along their journey to Chico - Pasadena, CA; St. Louis, MO; and Cincinnati, OH. With every station, she collected a host of connections and friends that were a significant part of the fabric of her life. As with all cities, upon arrival to Chico, she “dove in.” She was active in the Chico Newcomers’ Club and loved playing bridge. Mary was deeply involved in her parish, Our Divine Savior, where she worked in the RCIA ministry for over nine years and was both a lector and a member of a bible study group. Mary was rarely low on energy or the ability to give from her heart.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, and her granddaughter, Rhegan Sajben. She is survived by her husband, her children, and by many dear nieces, nephews, grandchildren, grand nieces, grand nephews, and two great-grandsons.

There will be a Vigil at Brusie Funeral Home on Sunday, June 18th at 6:30pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Monday, June 19th at 10:00am followed by a committal ceremony at Glen Oaks Memorial Park, where she will be laid to rest. Mary’s life had been guided by her deep and abiding faith in God. She was a loving person with a big heart and touched the lives of many people during her life. After God, her second greatest love was her family, whom she cherished with every encounter. She will be greatly missed by family and friends alike.