Mary Lux

Mary Stuart Lux In the early morning hours of Sunday March 18, 2012, our mother, Mary Stuart Lux, died gently in her sleep. She was 91. Oh what a life well and truly lived. She was an activist, leader and visionary throughout her life. But her proudest moments involved her five children, six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Born Mary Ann Stuart on August 13, 1920, to the Reverend Donald C. Stuart and Gertrude Goodspeed, in Utica, New York, she was the eldest of four children. She was married to James Johnston Lux, in 1945, in the chapel of Walter Reed Hospital, in Washington D.C. Mary's father performed the ceremony. Their eldest child, Jim was born in Rochester, NY, when Mary was in nursing and her husband was a senior in medical school. During her husband's internship, daughter Wendy was born when the couple was in Nashville, Tennessee. Daughter Gretchen was born as the couple prepared to move to Olympia, in 1956. Daughters Anne and Sarah were both born in Olympia. Education was a lifetime pursuit of Mary's. She completed degrees at Hobart and William Smith College (B.A.); The Johns Hopkins University (R.N); Cornell University (M.S.); and Pacific Lutheran University (M.S.). During WWII, after finishing nurses training, Mary joined the Army Nurse Corps. She served as a Second Lieutenant Army Nurse until her husband was released from 22 months captivity as a prisoner of war. Throughout her life, Mary was an active member of the Olympia and Thurston County communities. Among her many civic activities she was a life-long Democrat, member of the League of Women Voters and American Association of University Women; the Olympia School Board; the Washington State Legislature (1964-1968); and the Olympia City Council (1982-1995). In her work as a legislator, Mary was particularly proud of her involvement in the founding of The Evergreen State College (son Jim was in the second graduating class). Mary was employed by the State of Washington as a Psychiatric Nurse at Western State Hospital, and later as a Nursing Home Consultant and a Federal Nursing Home Inspector. As an Olympia City Council member Mary was proud of the work she did on issues related to Olympia's downtown, such as, the Farmer's Market, Percival Landing Boardwalk, the Olympia Senior Center, and the Washington Performing Arts Center. Mary also worked hard on issues related to environmental sustainability and concerns about global warming. A few years prior to her retirement from the State, Mary began to take snorkeling vacations. In the following years snorkeling became her passion and she went to Belize and other premier snorkeling destinations only stopping at age 86. Mary is survived by her sister Betty Wells of Cleveland Ohio; brother John Stuart of Denver Colorado; son James Lux (Lisa Sutton), daughters Wendy Lux, Gretchen Lux (Bonnie McReynolds), Anne Lux (Steve Lerch), Sarah Lux; six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A celebration of life will be held Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 1-4 pm at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia. Friends and family are welcome to share memories of Mary at the event. Remembrances can also be posted to Mary's guestbook at the Funeral Alternatives website funeralalternatives.org.