She spent the first years of her life growing up on the family farm outside of Marion, Kansas. When Mary was ten years old, her family moved to a farm in Deer Creek Township, outside of Fort Dodge, Iowa. As a child, she was active in 4-H and church activities.
After graduating from Northwest Webster Community School in Barnham, Iowa, Mary continued her education and graduated from Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska, earning a bachelor’s in education. She then began her Lutheran teaching career at Zion Lutheran Church in Merrill, Wisconsin. While teaching elementary school in Merrill, Mary spent her summers pursuing her master’s degree in education at Concordia in Seward. During one of those summers, she met and started dating her future husband, Anthony (Tony) Schkade. On July 29, 1972, Mary and Tony were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Deer Creek. The newlyweds moved to Lake Forest, Illinois, and there, Mary had her first taste of working in retail at Marshall Field’s.
In the summer of 1976, Tony started a position with the University of Nebraska, and the couple moved to Lincoln. Mary worked part-time at UNL in registration and in the bursar’s office. After establishing their new home in Lincoln, they were blessed with a daughter, Lisa, and a son, Todd. Soon after, Mary began her 30+ year career first with Miller and Paine, then its successor, Dillard’s. Mary was attentive to her clientele, which led to her great success and repeated recognition as one of Dillard’s top sales associates. After retiring and losing Tony, Mary spent the last ten years being a doting Grammy to her grandkids. When not traveling to see family, Mary was traveling with different groups around the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
Mary thrived on being busy. She loved serving others in whatever way that would not attract attention to herself. She was a loyal member of the UNLWomen’s Club and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). Mary held a fierce hand in bridge clubs and an adventurous palate in cooking groups.
Mary’s faith in Jesus was the guiding light in her life. A faithful member of Christ Lutheran Church in Lincoln, she was deeply invested in many aspects of her church. Mary loved her Bible Study groups and the people in them.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Tony.
She is survived by her daughter Lisa (Tim) Davis, son Todd (Juli) Schkade; grandchildren Channing, Naomi, and Noah Schkade, Amelia, Maribel, and Eliza Davis; sister Elaine (Dick) Core, brother Eugene, and sister Darlene (John) Winninger; numerous sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, and cherished friends.
Funeral Service: 11:00 am Saturday, (1/14/23) at Christ Lutheran Church 4325 Sumner St. Lincoln, NE. Burial will be at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Deer Creek Township, IA.
Visitation with family greeting friends from 4–7 p.m. Friday at Roper and Sons, 4300 O St.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to University of Nebraska Foundation and Concordia University, Nebraska.