Mary Ann Tripp

Born January 15, 1927, entered into rest March 8, 2023 with the assurance she would soon be awakened and reunited with loved ones on a restored paradise earth.

She was reared by her parents, Frances and Charles Schlienger along with siblings Charleen, Bill and June on a small farm in Boulder, Colorado. They attended a two room schoolhouse. She laughingly spoke of being privately tutored as she was the only pupil in several grades.

The family moved to Spokane when she was sixteen; she found herself in quite a different school setting at North Central from which she graduated. Shortly out of high school, she was hired as the Spokesman Review's first Copy Girl, all the young men were in the military. Some exciting headlines she ran from City Desk down to the presses were President Roosevelt's death, bombing of Hiroshima, and V.J. Day.

Her most loved career was teaching dancing. She started in her basement studio on Rowan Street when her son Chuck was 8 and Jim was 2. The family moved five years later to Country Homes Blvd. where Dave was born. Each year she displayed her artistic talents and those of her students in unique dance recitals. She loved each student and they returned that love. In 1985 she began teaching clogging for the Senior's Program through Spokane Falls Community College. For a few years she taught both children and seniors resulting in recitals and programs by students ages 4 to 94.

After deciding to teach for the Senior's program only, she formed the "Happy Feet Cloggers" who performed for Project Joy under her direction for 20 years at which time some of her talented students took over the programs.

She continued teaching the Senior classes for a total of 35 years at which time Covid shut the program down.

She loved Jehovah God's Creation and expressed it in poetry

Humming birds

Delightful little reminders

Of God's great love for me

Flit through the garden

Of my heart and happiness I see

Their tiny wings bring floods of joy

That wash away my fears

For who could doubt the God of these

Will bless me all my years?

One of her most rewarding projects was to help Bertha Renfro of Springdale Animal Shelter find loving homes for orphaned dogs.

It was Mary Ann's goal in life through both word and deed to express her great love for Jehovah God and fellow man. Mark 12:30,31

She is survived by her loving sons Chuck (Janeie), Jim, and Dave; sister June; daughters-in-law Marilyn, Janeie, and Jackie; step-daughters Linda, Pam, Ana, and Nancy; grandchildren Kim, Tom, Jesse, Jason, Brianne, Michelle, and John; great grandchildren Matt(Kirstin), Gabby, Jaylin; great great grandchildren Amora and Briggs; plus many loved nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by parents Frances and Charles; siblings Bill and Charleen; stepson Larry; daughter-in-law Star; and husbands William Thomas and Frank Tripp.

In harmony with Mary Ann's wishes, there will be no formal memorial. Her family, however, would treasure any communication of memories you would like to share.

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