Mary Lowe Williams

Mary Margaret Lowe Williams passed into eternity at Aspen Ridge Alzheimer’s Care Center, Grand Junction, Colorado, on November 7, 2024. She was born to Harry A. and Margaret E. Lowe at the Miner’s Hospital in Ouray, Colorado. She was predeceased by her parents and her older sisters, Anita and Judy; and is survived by her husband, Leo, her son, Mark (Wiola) of Superior, and daughter, Marla (Mark) Townsley of New Castle. Attending all twelve grades in the Ouray schools, she graduated as valedictorian of her class of 22.

She enrolled as a pre-nursing student at the University of Colorado/Boulder, and the following year was admitted to the nursing program at the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Denver. She completed her Bachelor of Science/Nursing in 1966.

Just prior to her senior year in nursing, she married Leo Williams, also of Ouray, having been high-school sweethearts and even “in like” at times during elementary school. Following graduation from CU, they moved to Montrose, Colorado, where Mary served as school nurse for the Montrose School District. In Montrose, she worked with some of the most profoundly poverty-stricken families she ever encountered. 1967 brought a move to Seattle and study for a Master’s Degree in Medical/Surgical Nursing. On earning her Master’s, she taught at Seattle University.

Moving to Denver in 1969, Mary accepted a position teaching medical/surgical nursing at the University of Colorado. Longing to return to western Colorado, a move to Steamboat Springs included a position with Planned Parenthood, for which she opened several new offices in Routt County.

At the beginning of 1973, having moved to Glenwood Springs, backed by a number of classes and workshops, she became a psychiatric nurse working at Colorado West Regional Mental Health Center. While there, she started a group therapy program for elderly and disabled clients. In 1978, Mary and three colleagues left Colorado West to start a private practice called Child and Family Counseling, providing individual therapies, relationship counseling and parenting support. She taught a variety of classes for Colorado Mountain College, including several for the nursing program. Also through CMC, she developed and led workshops on assertiveness, women’s issues, depression, and couples communication, among others. She developed a sex-education program for the Roaring Fork School District, which she taught for several years. An author of five published books for children (with content applicable to adults), she had a deep understanding of the emotional needs of her clients and of the changes necessary to get through life’s most difficult times. She enjoyed knitting, making things for her children, quilting, creating artistic arrangements (frequently crosses) from rusty iron and driftwood collected everywhere where she went. She loved the outdoors and the mountains, taking great pleasure in hiking and Jeeping, especially in the San Juans. As her mind descended into dementia and her body became increasingly painful, she longed for the peace, comfort and love to be found in God’s presence.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Blake Avenue and Hyland Park Drive, at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, November 16

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mary’s name to HopeWest Hospice in Grand Junction. Marla and Leo may not have survived without the help, support, wisdom and knowledge they provided.