She was born in Burlington, IA, and spent most of her younger years in the surrounding communities. She moved to Lincoln when she was a young adult and worked at Sunnybrook Café where she met Harold Hergenrader. She then worked at Western Electric until Harold came home from the Army; they were married on July 23, 1950. They had two children, Steven W. Hergenrader and Karen K. Hergenrader.
She later started working for the University of Nebraska Lincoln and was very busy helping with farm lunches and dinners while Steve and Harold farmed. Steve married Cindy Vomacka in 1975. Karen married Duane Edstrom in 1980, and they had three children.
Mary then took on a new role, grandmother. She found joy in playing board games with the grandchildren and teaching them how to cook and sew.
She is preceded in death by her husband and two children. She is survived by her daughter-in-law Cindy, her son-in-law Duane, three grandchildren; Melissa (Edstrom) Kerr, Kristin (Edstrom) Polito and Mark Polito, and Daniel Edstrom and four great grandchildren; Victoria, Samantha, Alex, and Lilah.
A Memorial Service will be held Thursday, August 14, 2025, at Roper and Sons in Waverly, NE (10851 N 148th St) at 11:00 a.m., followed by a luncheon. A private family inurnment will be held at Tothill Cemetery.