Mary Ann Wilber

Mary Anna (Taylor) Wilber, 83, passed away peacefully on August 9, 2025 under hospice care in Oregon City, Oregon.

To those who knew and loved her, she was Mary Ann, Marian, Mom and Nana.

Mary Ann was born on Christmas Day 1941 in Portland, Oregon to Howard and Olga Taylor.

With two deaf parents and her younger brother George, she grew up in a very quiet – yet loving – household in Southeast Portland. She was bilingual, learning American Sign Language from an early age. She attended Richmond Elementary School and Franklin High School with her lifelong best friend and eventual sister-in-law Patsy Wahlstrom Wilber.

She graduated from Franklin in 1959 where she was selected for a number of special Courts, was a member of the National Honor Society, and was active in Student Government.

Following high school, Mary Ann attended Portland State University where she received a degree in elementary education.

After graduation, Mary Ann became a first grade teacher at Atkinson Elementary and married Jack Kemp. She and Jack lived in Southeast Portland and had two daughters, Kari and Kristi. While the girls attended Duniway Elementary, Mary Ann served as PTA President. Later, she became heavily involved with volunteering and fundraising at Parry Center for Children before working there full-time.

From early on, Mary Ann was a fan of Elvis Presley. During his final tour in 1976, Elvis performed in Portland and she had a front row seat. She tells the story that something overcame her during the show and she just felt this need to muscle past security to get up close to the stage. Lo and behold, Elvis draped one of his infamous scarves right down around her neck. She kept it all these years…in her underwear drawer. Much later, during a road trip to Tennessee in 2007, she visited Graceland and stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel – thus fulfilling a longtime dream.

Mary Ann divorced Jack in 1977. The same year, she met George Wilber at Patsy and Bill Wilber’s wedding in Cottage Grove. The two fell in love and maintained what she called a GU (Geographically Undesirable) relationship for four years before marrying in 1981.

Nine months and a few days later, their daughter Megan was born.

The family lived in Cottage Grove until 1990 when they moved to Burns and George went to work as a CPA with Oster Professional Group, CPAs.

A city girl at heart, it took Mary Ann some time to get settled in Harney County, but she soon grew to love small town rural life, and she rekindled her love of teaching. As a substitute teacher, Mary Ann was known as “The Licorice Lady” as she always brought a tub of Red Vines to share with her students…when they were good.

Mary Ann also threw herself into homemaking after she and George purchased their historic home, which was built by Gus Rembold in 1904. She took great pride in remodeling the house and turning it into an entertainer’s delight.

Her biggest passion was cooking and entertaining. No party was too big or too small for her – from happy hours and birthdays to bridal showers and holiday dinners. Deviled eggs, cottage cheese dip and banana (or chocolate) cream pies were her signature dishes.

A true support and confidante for George in all his endeavors with Oster Professional Group, she also hosted numerous events for clients and the “OPG Crew” – and always kept the office break room well-stocked during tax season.

She was also active in the Harney County CattleWomen, Holy Family Catholic Church, a Red Hat group who met regularly and a Supper Club with other Burns couples who enjoyed entertaining.

She loved Canadian whisky, Bugles with Uncle Dan’s ranch dip, chocolate mint ice cream, halibut fish and chips, Reuben sandwiches, Blood Marys, teddy bears, and used an abundance of quotation marks in all her writing.

She had a sharp wit – and sometimes a sharp tongue – but was a soft-hearted, gracious person all the way until the end. She worried about everyone and everything…many times to the detriment of her health.

Mary Ann is survived by her husband of 44 years, George Wilber of Burns; her daughters Kari (Grant) Moore of McKinney, Texas, Kristi (Dan) Rice of Lake Oswego and Megan (Anthony) Fuchs of Oregon City; her eight grandchildren: Cameron, Jake, Alex, Kellen, Zach, Samantha, Harrison and Logan; her brother George Taylor of Gresham – and last but not least – her best pal, Kally the dog.

A funeral mass will be held on August 23, 2025 at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 678 North Egan Avenue in Burns. A reception will follow at 1 p.m. at The Pine Room, 543 West Monroe Street, Burns.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the education-oriented charity of your choice.