Mrs. Mary Smaltz Wright

Mary, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, dear friend to many, and, more recently, a joyfully reconnected sister to her biological siblings, will be missed by all.

Born on December 27, 1932, in Iowa City, IA, she was raised in Morrison, IL, by her parents Ellsworth (Hap) and Ruth Smaltz. A plumber’s daughter with a keen mind, she was equally at home in hardware stores and bookstores. After graduating from Morrison High School, she completed two years at Grinnell College, IA, playing basketball and meeting husband-to-be, Arthur “Mack” Wright when auditioning for him at the school’s radio station.

Passionate from an early age about medicine, Mary transferred to Northwestern University, completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and then progressing to teach orthopedic nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Three decades later, she would return to Mass General and Harvard University to earn her Adult Nurse Practitioners degree.

In the intervening thirty years, Mack and Mary raised their three children, first in Kansas City, and then in Winnetka, IL. After retirement, they lived in Lake Geneva, WI, and Santa Fe, NM. In each community, Mary enthusiastically engaged in civic, charitable, and religious activities. Mary was especially active in the diverse cultural and arts community in Santa Fe, supporting the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Santa Fe Opera, and many local artists. Recently, Mary moved to Southlake, TX, to be closer to her family.

A lifelong Presbyterian, Mary was an active member of the Winnetka Presbyterian Church and the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe. Known for her favorite phrase, “Oh What Fun,” Mary always had a twinkle in her eye, a listening ear, a discerning intellect, and a warm and caring heart.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mack, and is survived by her sons David (Kathi Sircy) and Steven, her daughter Carolyn, and grandchildren Kaitlyn, Briana, Bethany, Arthur, Anna, and Dana, as well as three great grandchildren and five remaining siblings.

For those wishing to join the family in celebrating Mary’s life, a memorial service will be held at the Winnetka Presbyterian Church, in Winnetka, IL, at 10:30am on Saturday, October 22, 2022. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Santa Fe Desert Chorale or Doctors without Borders.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bluebonnethills.com for the Wright family.