Passages: Donuts to Dollars, Mary Hennessy had a sweet life

Story and photos by Karen Pearlman

Oct. 21, 2025 (Santee) – Making others happy was something Mary Hennessy did naturally, with no holds – or holes – barred.

As founder and owner of the iconic Mary’s Donuts in Santee, Hennessy sprinkled joy to others – and not just by way of diverse donut toppings, fruity fritter fillings and cinnamon-dusted donut holes, but also through her generous spirit, spreading positivity through acts of kindness and by virtue of making connections.

Mary Hennessy loved interacting with people. chatting with customers, helping behind the counter and especially seeing children come in.

“Handing out stickers to kids was one of her small joys,” said her granddaughter, Kelly Hennessy.

And she did it all for nearly 95 years.

Born Mary Churchill in the small farming town of Dexter, Minn., on May 3, 1931, Hennessy died at her La Mesa home on Oct. 19, 2025, surrounded by family members.

Kelly Hennessy describes her “always moving” grandmother Mary Hennessy as energetic, inquisitive, practical, playful, and compassionate and perceptive.

“She loved children coming into the shop, she loved dogs and she loved her grandchildren,” Kelly Hennessy said. “Seeing those simple joys always moved her deeply.”

While people have been raving about the fried sweet treats devoured since Mary Hennessy opened her donut business doors four decades ago, Kelly Hennessy said her grandmother’s quiet acts of charity were just as sweet.

“There were many, but she always protected people’s privacy,” Kelly Hennessy said. “Mary grew up poor -- she remembered bringing homemade bread-and-butter sandwiches to school -- and money was tight when she raised her children. That gave her deep empathy for others. When she had the means to give, she did, quietly and without judgment. She often said how lucky we were, and she never forgot what it felt like to have less.”

Life lessons taught

Kelly Hennessy said the biggest lessons she learned from Mary were about humility and inclusivity.

“She never craved being the center of attention,” Kelly Hennessy said. “She did what she did because it was the right thing to do. She worked hard to make everyone feel seen and valued, and she tried never to diminish others. She was glad to lead but disliked the word ‘boss.’”

Mary Hennessy founded Mary’s Donuts in 1984 after working as a baker and manager at Winchell’s Donuts. Alongside her husband Don, who preceded her in death in 2017, she purchased Zona’s Donut Shop — the first donut shop in Santee — and transformed it into the iconic Mary’s Donuts on Mission Gorge Road near Fanita Road.

Photo, left: Mary Hennessy, founder and owner of Santee's iconic Mary's Donuts, dances with family friend Joel Scalzitti in front of the shop during its 40th anniversary celebration earlier this year.

In an interview with East County Magazine earlier this year, Mary Hennessy shared that when she wanted to buy her first shop, the owner wouldn't sell to her because she was a woman, convincing her husband to help her buy the business instead.

“She already had the experience and confidence to run the business when the time came,” Kelly Hennessy said. “There was no grand plan — she simply continued what Zona had started and carried that vision forward.”

Behind Mary Hennessy’s drive and desire to succeed, the cozy standalone shop on Mission Gorge quickly became a community staple, famous for its warm atmosphere, fresh donuts and a giant donut atop the building.

Its 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, 364-days-a-year business hours – closed only from Christmas eve afternoon until the evening of Christmas day – guarantees donut lovers a treat any time of day or night.

A lease dispute forced Hennessy to relocate the business in 2016 a few blocks away to Carlton Hills Boulevard, but Hennessy remained upbeat and actively involved, overseeing operations and continuing to greet regulars with her signature charm.

When her husband passed away the year after the move, Hennessy was distraught.

Photo, left: Kelly Hennessy and her grandmother, Mary Hennessy, in front of Mary's Donuts earlier this year.

“My grandfather made her laugh! He had a great sense of humor,” Kelly Hennessy recalled. “She was almost incapacitated after he died and it was the shop that pulled her back into life.”

Big 40th celebration in March

Mary’s Donuts celebrated its 40th anniversary in March 2025, with Hennessy still enjoying sweet treats and connecting with the community she helped build.

While later in her tenure, her grandchildren took over some of the day-to-day needs of Mary’s Donuts, Hennessy stayed involved in the business through the decades, coming in during the wee morning hours many days a week to check on the quality of the products.

One of the more ironic things her family remembers about her is that Hennessy’s favorite sweet was ice cream. She also liked brownies but never ate donuts.

“Although she could walk into the shop and know in a glance if something was over proofed, too much liquid, too old, etc.,” Kelly Hennessy said.

Mary Hennessy loved all music, and was especially drawn to classical music featuring violins and opera. Kelly Hennessy said that every year, her grandmother attended the opera auditions for the MET.

She also loved popular music with a strong beat. She grew up dancing with friends and family, “then married a husband who didn’t dance,” Kelly Hennessy said. “But in the last few years, she found friends with whom she enjoyed dancing!”

Mary Hennessy was diligent about staying active. She woke up every morning, did floor exercises, and then at noon five (sometimes six) days a week, she attended an hour-long exercise class.

Hennessy and her husband had three children and is survived by them all: Susan Means (Steve Means), Carol Hennessy (former spouse John Reiman), and Dr. Mark Hennessy, (Juliet Hennessy); and grandchildren Seth Georgian, Blake Hennessy, Nathan Reiman (Emma Sackinger Reiman), Kayla Reiman, Dr. Kerry Hennessy, Kelly Hennessy, and many nieces and nephews.

Brothers who preceded Mary Hennessy in death were Sheldon Churchill and Jack Churchill, who is survived by his wife, Josie Churchill.

A landmark for East County

How did Mary Hennessy feel about her little donut shop becoming such a local landmark?

“She was tickled,” Kelly Hennessy said. “Mary never wanted to be the center of attention but she valued the history of the shop and all the customers who had been coming since their own childhoods. She maintained Zona’s history.”

Her lasting legacy in East County will be related to community, reliability and genuine connection, Kelly Hennessy said.

Mary’s Donuts has always been a gathering place – “and that reflects who she was -- a person who made people feel welcome, seen and part of something bigger.”

Hennessy said she believes her grandmother would want people to remember the importance of helping each other out and staying active

A strong advocate for women and a woman who herself believed deeply in hard work, kindness, and staying active, Hennessy’s secret to longevity, she always told her family, Kelly Hennessy recalled, was simple: “Go to the gym — exercise!”

There will be a celebration of Mary Hennessy's life in mid-November in Santee, but no date or site has been finalized.