Mary Winifred Knippen was born in Harvard, Illinois on April 20, 1930 to Edward and Mabel (Walsh) Knippen, the oldest of four daughters. She attended St Joseph Grade School and Harvard High School, graduating with the Class of 1947. She married Adrian “Red” Dewey on February 7, 1948 in Harvard, where they continued to live until 1978. She passed away on November 12, 2019 at Choice Rehab in Sun City West AZ.
Mary was the mother of eight children and was active in many civic and church organizations while she lived in Harvard. She had impressive shorthand and typing skills and was chosen to participate in a school assembly her senior year of high school featuring a gentleman who was known as the “Nation’s Fastest Typist”. They typed side by side and she wasn’t far behind him when they finished the demonstration. She used these skills in many jobs, including Secretary to the Mayor of Harvard, Milk Days Secretary, and the McHenry County Zoning Board. Mary later opened her own secretarial and bookkeeping service out of her home in Harvard.
After moving to the Scottsdale AZ area in 1978, she held positions with Ramada Corporation, the Kings House Religious Store, the Wendy Payne Center, and James Foster Accounting. After taking an adult education sewing class in Harvard, she discovered one of her true passions in life. She sewed most of her own clothes as well as clothing and quilts for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed arts and crafts, cross stitch, and was happiest making things for others. Late in life she developed a love for rose gardening and had many beautiful varieties she carefully tended in front of her home. Another passion was her family, both close and distant. After much research, she assembled extensive books on family history for the Knippen, Walsh and Dewey families.
Mary and Red lived in the Pueblo Sereno retirement park for over 18+ years where she enjoyed the Friday night socials, working on the park newsletter, the Sunshine committee, and the morning pool tai chi. She and Red could often be seen walking around the park twice a day, usually holding hands. When she was younger she enjoyed going to the movies and could eat a whole big tub of popcorn herself! She had a lifelong love of ice cream, sometimes she would even have it for supper. Mary loved to watch the Phoenix Suns and attended a few of their games over the years. Her favorite players were Charles Barkley and Steve Nash. Mary and Red loved to play Yahtzee and would often do so for hours at a time. Mary was well known in the family for her potato salad, graham cracker pie, raspberry jello, and her dill dip.
Mary accompanied Red on most of his cross country road trips to Harvard over the years, mainly to make sure he stopped at a hotel at least one night instead of sleeping in their car at a rest stop.
Mary spent the long car rides reading or doing Word Search puzzles. Her family and friends were heartbroken when she developed Alzheimer’s disease and eventually had to live in a residential facility for care. She was unaware Red passed away 7 months ago, they had been married 71 years.
Mary is survived by her children: Lynda (Richard) Stoxen, Harvard; Carol Dewey, Harvard; Jim Dewey, Scottsdale AZ; Brad (Beth) Dewey, Monroe NC; Ron Dewey, Phoenix AZ, Dan Dewey, Scottsdale AZ; Kim Wyatt, Mesa AZ and Todd (Kate) Dewey, Gilbert AZ. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren as well as her two sisters, Bernice (John) Koltz, Rockford IL and Sandra (David) Ruehlman, Lake Forest IL. She was predeceased by her husband, Adrian, on April 6 of this year; her granddaughter, Colleen (Dewey) Poteat, July 18, 2019; her sister, Pat Marsh Church; and son-in-law Steven Wyatt.
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