Mary M Von Eschen

Mary Mande Von Eschen, 82, passed away peacefully at home with her family on July 15th. She was born March 30, 1930 in Clarksville, TX to Ida B. Alsup and Henry Archie Norsworthy and later moved to Duncan, Oklahoma where she graduated from Empire High School in 1946. Mary moved to Wichita Falls, Tx in 1946 where she met and married John Patrick Mande (deceased, 1981) in 1949. After marriage, four children, and life as a full time mother and wife of a US Air Force officer, Mary had the opportunity to go to college. She graduated from Cameron University in Lawton, OK in 1975, the year her first grandchild was born. With courage and determination, she moved to Boulder, CO to enter the doctorate program in sociology at the University of Colorado. She earned her M.A. in sociology in 1978 and her Ph.D. in 1985.

Dr. Mary J. Von Eschen led a successful career in criminal justice research and consulting and became renowned in her field. As the Director of Research in the Criminal Justice Division of the State of Colorado she made many important contributions to Colorado’s criminal justice system. In 1991, Dr. Mande received a national award from the Bureau of Justice Statistics for her contributions in research and statistics. She retired from the State of Colorado in 1992, receiving the G. Paul Sylvestre Award for outstanding achievement in advancing criminal justice. Dr. Mande continued to make an impact nationwide offering criminal justice research consulting to many states until she retired in 2000.

Mary wed Robert L. Von Eschen, her love and angel for the rest of her life, in Boulder, CO in 1997. Both held a passion for travel and adventure that became a large part of their next 15 years together, taking them from Africa to multiple visits to Europe, Central America, New Zealand, Australia and points all over the western US. These trips were often shared with their children, grandchildren, and many friends bringing precious times and many special memories.

Mary held an exceptional love of knowledge and was forever an avid reader. She loved words and even read the dictionary twice. Her knowledge joined with her openness of other cultures brought many exciting perspectives during her travels. Mary lived her life with courage, grace, and love, often saying to friends and family “I’ve had a wonderful life.” She was wise, giving, big hearted, adventurous, determined, cheerful, playful, easy going, and always interested in others. Perhaps her biggest gift of all was her unconditional love of everyone around her.

She is survived by her husband, Robert L. Von Eschen; two sisters: Joyce Douglass of Chesapeake, VA and Barbara Clark of Destin, FL; two brothers: Wayne (and Pat) Norsworthy of Atlanta, GA and Ray (and Rita) Norsworthy of Boise, ID; four children: Charles (and Debbie) Mande of Wichita Falls, TX, Michael (and Lynda) Mande of Oklahoma City, OK, Carol (and Randall) Moore of Duncan, OK, and Linda (and Eric) Nehls of Boulder, CO; Robert’s four children: Sandy (and Bob) Medearis of Durango, CO, and Robert S (and Felicia Bender) Von Eschen, Robin (and Bud Kelt) Von Eschen, and Scott (and Julie) Von Eschen, all of Boulder, CO. Together they cherished their 23 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life service on Wednesday, July 18th at 1:00pm at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 3700 Baseline Road in Boulder. Memorial donations in Mary’s honor can be made to HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, 2594 Trail Ridge Dr, Lafayette, CO 80026 or www.hospicecareonline.org, or Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.