Mary Ridgway Obituary

Mary Kathryn Ridgway

Mary K. Ridgway died October 9, 2013 in Albuquerque, NM at the age of 88. She was born Mary Kathryn Booth on May 20, 1925 in Olathe, Kansas, the tenth of eleven children of Olive and Reuben Booth.

She attended public schools in Olathe and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1947. In 1950 Mary K. married Dan Palmquist and they had three children: Eric, Kristin and Karl. Dan died in 1981. In 1983 she married Robert Ridgway. They were married until Bob's death last March. Mary K. spent her last months in Albuquerque where she had moved to be near her daughter.

Mary K's career as a librarian in the KU School of Education Curriculum Lab from 1980 until her retirement in 1992 was a professional highlight. She loved meeting students and helping them reach their educational goals. After retirement, she enjoyed international travel and visited many parts of the world with her husband, Bob.

She touched many lives over the years through her numerous volunteer activities. She served in many capacities in the PTA. She volunteered in both Girl Scout and Boy Scout organizations, and served a term as President of the Lawrence Girls Scout Council. She also volunteered in many capacities for Children's Hour, a non-profit Head Start nursery school. Her favorite volunteer activity in later years was reading for the Audio Reader program.

Mary K. is survived by her children; Eric Palmquist of California, Karl Palmquist of Englewood, Colorado, and Kristin Keller of Albuquerque, New Mexico; step children Susie Deere, Steve Ridgway, Cathy Johnson, Dave Ridgway, their families, and numerous nieces and nephews. Her grandson, Ethan, died in 2008.

She is remembered for her kindness toward others, her love of literature, and her quick wit complemented by her joyously unrestrained vocabulary. She made our lives balanced and full, and her passing leaves an emptiness in our hearts.

As a memorial to Mary K., please make a contribution to your favorite humanitarian charity in her name.

Please sign this guestbook at Obituaries.LJWorld.com.