Mary Agnes Mackin

Online Obituaries for Lexington and Lousiville KY Mary Agnes Mackin, 60, lost a nearly eight-year battle with cancer on Sept. 16, 2017 at Hosparus of Louisville (Kentucky). Her courage and tenacity were admired by all who knew her. In her final days, she was surrounded by her family until she was able to fly free of the physical world to continue her journey on the other side. Her life was spent advocating for and taking care of animals of all kinds from horses to dogs to orca whales to cats, to name a few. She loved her family and friends and made them countless springerles, oatmeal lace cookies, and bourbon balls every Christmas. She also enjoyed traveling, photography, and lived life to the fullest until her final days. Born December 11, 1956, Mary Agnes developed her love of animals and country living while growing up with her parents and siblings on a farm outside Marengo, Indiana. Her family moved to Louisville when she was seven, but she never lost her passion for all of Gods creatures. For nearly four decades, she lived her dream on a small farm outside Pleasureville in Henry County, Kentucky. There she raised her beloved animals, fed and enjoyed hummingbirds and other wildlife, and truly followed her heart. Her gentleness and compassion will be missed by all of the people and animals she touched throughout her life. Mary Agnes graduated with the Class of 1974 at Mercy Academy in Louisville. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in animal sciences in 1979 from the University of Kentucky. She took graduate courses in toxicology and worked for the virology and toxicology unit at her alma maters Livestock Disease and Diagnostic Center from 1979 until her retirement in 2012. A colleague said, she was a treasured part of the UKVDL family who will be missed. Her conscientious dedication and impeccable work ethic won her the respect of all she encountered. While in college, her interests included the Block and Bridle Club (an animal science organization) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Later, she bred and showed Arabian horses, including a National and a Reserve National Champion as well as several Top Ten horses. She served as paddock manager at the Arabian Nationals and at many local shows during those years. She also performed the duties of shed row manager for Eaton Sales Inc., as well as numerous thoroughbred horse sales in Kentucky and New York. In 1999, Mary Agnes began showing Dachshunds and was field trialing them by 2005. She completed American Kennel Club championships on six of her dogs. Eventually, she became an AKC Field Trial Judge and traveled all over the United States to judge competitions. From there, she joined the Grand Paws Search Dog Association of Owen County where she trained her Dachshund Obi (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and German Shepherd Zenny (Zenyatta) for mantracking and water searches/rescues. Mary Agnes didnt know the meaning of the word quit. Whether it be chemo, surgery, or radiation, her medical care teams and Hosparus nurses were amazed at how long she fought to maintain a quality of life and pursue her many interests. Despite several years of arduous and invasive treatments, Mary Agnes managed to make multiple trips to the Puget Sound to go whale watching to visit the pod of orca whales led by Granny (also known as J2). She recognized the individual whales in photos and now she no longer has to spend hours in a boat searching for her beloved Granny. Now she knows where her favorite orca disappeared to last year. Mary Agnes leaves behind a large grieving family including her mother, Mary Jane (Head) Mackin; five sistersMary Lynne (Jesus Chuy Salazar) Mackin-Salazar (her primary caregiver during her final years), Rita Mackin (Raymond) Fox, Kathy Mackin (Barry) Vincion, Mary Ellen Mackin, and Mary Lu Mackin; one brother, Stephan Joseph Mackin; two nieces, Sara Jane Fox and Madeline Faith Mackin; one nephew, Joseph Raymond Fox; one grandnephew, Erik Raymond Fox; several aunts and uncles; many cousins; and her beloved furbabies. She has been reunited on the other side with her father, Joseph Benedict Mackin, who welcomed her home along with countless other family and friends who went before her. She also was greeted at the Rainbow Bridge by her beloved Dachshunds, including Obi. Funeral Information A Celebration of Life is scheduled for family, friends, and colleagues to gather from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Clark Legacy Center, 3000 Versailles Road, Frankfort, Kentucky. At 3:30 p.m., we will share a time of prayer and cherished memories.