I don’t remember exactly when Mary died of cancer but I remember I got to see her sometime in the last 10 years when she came to Yankton to help implement the “upgrade” to the health care systems EHR. This was after a good part of her career spent as head nurse of the Avera McKennan oncology unit. She was kind, smart and funny, just like in high school. Traits she needed to work with doctors. She had 2 children, a boy and a girl with Tom Frederick. Dawn and Mary were good friends in high school and worked together on the Statesmen. I recently saw a post saying look for the kindest person in the room and you’ll find the smartest. That was Mary.

Mary always had a smile on her face and her giggle was memorable