Mary Penwarden McCauley

Mary Annette Penwarden McCauley was born on September 9, 1930, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to Walter Byrne and Vera Lucille Penwarden. Mary spent her formative years in the Portland, Oregon area, a place she held close to her heart throughout her life. Athletic, social and an ace at ping pong, Mary graduated from Milwaukie High school in 1948. That same year, she climbed 11,249-foot Mt. Hood, part of a “school field trip” as Mary described it. As she neared the mountain’s summit, she came to a self-realization: She was afraid of heights! She made it down safely, completing her first (and last) turn as a mountaineer.

During this time, her parents purchased Paintrock Lodge, a dude ranch located in Wyoming’s Big Horn Mountains. Mary and her brother Richard (“Dick”) spent 17 summers there helping their parents - working hard, welcoming guests and developing a deep appreciation of the outdoors and for Wyoming – another place that would always hold a special spot in her heart.

Mary attended the University of Oregon (go Ducks!), where she was a proud member of Tri Delta sorority. She completed her final year of college at the university’s medical school, becoming a certified medical technologist. She worked at the lab there and later for the City of Portland Public Health Department. Her family liked to joke that her years of looking at germs under a microscope formed her passion for keeping an immaculate home.

In 1960, Mary moved to Casper, Wyoming, where she was introduced to Alfred McCauley, on a blind date. After a courtship of undisclosed (but rumored short) length, Mary (5’5”) and Alf (6’4”) were wed on May 29, 1960. Soon after, Alf (a chemical engineer with the DuPont Company) was transferred to Lynchburg, Virginia, near his family. It was there that their two daughters, Catherine (born 1962) and Carol (born 1965) were welcomed into the world. During the early years of their 55-year marriage, Mary and Alf developed a shared love of antique furniture and they spent many weekends exploring the southern antique shops.

In 1970, Alf was relocated to Rapid City, South Dakota, where the family lived for 14 years. The Black Hills became a beloved home. The family’s shared activity was horseback riding, where they spent many years riding at Ghost Canyon Ranch, located near Mt. Rushmore. While Alf traveled over a four-state territory for work, Mary managed the homefront. When a blizzard with roof-high drifts kept Mary and her young daughters snowbound without electricity, Mary oversaw the digging of a tunnel from her house to the garage to reach firewood.

In 1984, another transfer brought Alf and Mary to Salt Lake City, Utah, where they spent the next 27 years. During this time, they celebrated their daughters’ marriages and subsequent grandchildren, all while taking in the beauty of the state and developing deep and lasting friendships. In 2011, they moved to Broomfield, CO, to be closer to their daughters. Mary’s gift of forming friendships in every place she lived continued, as she made a new circle of cherished friends. Shortly after Alf’s passing in 2015, Mary moved to Longmont, CO. In January 2024, she relocated to Windsor CO, where she passed away peacefully on June 9, 2025.

Mary was a lifelong Episcopalian, a proud member of P.E.O. for over 50 years—belonging to chapters in Rapid City, Salt Lake City, and was a charter member of a chapter in Broomfield. She was a Colonial Dame, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and participated in WAAIME (Women’s Auxiliary of the American Institute of Mining Engineers).

Mary had a sharp mind, an eye for detail, and a deep love of gardens and art. She was an avid bridge player, a loyal viewer of Masterpiece on PBS, and never passed up a good book.

Mary is survived by her brother, Richard Penwarden of Worland, WY; her daughters, Catherine (Bruce Hellbaum) of Longmont, CO, and Carol (Jim Keaty) of Centennial, CO; her grandchildren, McKenzie Graham (Josh) of Riverton, WY, Paige Eikeland (Andreas) of Gjerstad, Norway, Neal and Gwyn Keaty of Centennial, CO; and her great-grandchildren, Kellan and Colbie Graham of Riverton, WY.

In memory of Mary, memorials can be given to: the Parkinson’s Foundation (online www.parkinson.org) or the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (online www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org)