Mary Ann Turnquist Martin

Mary Ann Turnquist Martin, 60, passed away on the afternoon of Oct. 17, 2016, in Billings, from complications during surgery.

She was born to Paul and Marvel Turnquist in Columbus on July 7, 1956. In 1964, they moved to Billings where Mary attended school and graduated from Billings Senior High in 1974. She attended MSU Bozeman and graduated with a degree in sociology with an emphasis in social work and minor in business management. In the summer of 1975, Mary met Vic Martin, the love of her life; they were married on June 19, 1976. Vic and Mary shared 40 wonderful years together. In August of 1991, Vic and Mary welcomed their daughter, Kelsey Marie, who was Mary's biggest accomplishment. She loved and treasured her daughter and all of the things they shared together. She taught her daughter everything she knew about life and love, and she never missed anything. Mary was an incredible mother, and became Kelsey's best friend as the years went on.

Mary greatly enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. During the summer she loved to go camping and floating, enjoyed cooking outdoors and working in her flower beds and garden. In the winter, you could always find her curled up under an afghan reading a good book, baking her family some kind of delicious treat, or watching football with Kelsey and Vic. She loved live music, whether it was attending the Blues Festival with her husband, taking her daughter to concerts, or going to Rockin' the Rivers with her friends. Mary was a member of Rainbow Girls and Eastern Star Chapter Sweet Briar #49 and is a past Worthy Matron.

Mary's dedication to serving others began with her involvement in the Rainbow Girls, and then when she was 14, she volunteered as a candy striper at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings. After graduating from MSU, Mary began her career with HRDC in the spring of 1982. The first of many challenges Mary would take on was the development of our Gallatin Valley Food Bank, where she was instrumental in creating the first food bank in Montana. Her work lives on each day as community members access the food they need. Because of Mary, one in every six lives in the valley have the nutrition they need. Mary was also instrumental in creating the Montana Food Bank Network, a network that today assists food banks and pantries in every community across the state. Mary had a passion for helping our senior community. She believed strongly in helping our seniors stay in their homes as long as safely possible. Mary brought her vision of aging in place to life through home health care and case management services. These services still provide for the needs of our most vulnerable seniors and extends their time at home for three to five years, while offsetting the high cost of assisted living. Mary spent much of her years at HRDC tackling affordable housing, becoming proficient in asset and property management in a world of complex tax credit and federal funding requirements. Mary emerged as the expert in the field and expanded her reach from the Gallatin Valley to communities all across the state, with special impacts in Helena, Havre and White Sulphur Springs. Those communities are and will forever be indebted to Mary for her contributions. Mary's talents, dedication and knowledge of the community lead her to the position of Associate Director, the number two position at HRDC. Throughout her career, she made endless contributions to our customers, programs and her fellow co-workers. Mary's willingness to jump in and tackle the most complex and deep rooted challenges that poverty creates is a part of her legacy that will forever serve as an inspiration to the entire HRDC family. Mary's influence in HRDC is everywhere and touches all facets of the work we do. The HRDC of today is strongly influenced by her work. HRDC and the communities we serve are forever indebted to Mary; her reach is incredible, and everywhere. Her accomplishments are numerous and will impact the lives of tens of thousands in this valley and beyond for years to come.

She is survived by her husband, Vic Martin (Belgrade); her daughter, Kelsey Martin (Bozeman); her mother, Marvel Shearer (Billings); sisters Garnet Strickland (Billings), Gloria Cawley (California); uncle Travis (Darlene) Reyman (Terry); sisters-in-law Ella (Joe) Laemmle (Billings), Sherrie Kautz (Billings); and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Earl and Hazel Reyman; father Paul Turnquist; fathers-in-law Bill Dugan and Jake Martin; and brother Jim Turnquist.

Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman.

Her life's work is truly an inspiration to all mankind. To continue her legacy, in lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the HRDC-Bozeman Mary Martin Memorial: https://www.thehrdc.org/about-us/mary-martin-memorial-fund/ or to Sweet Briar Chapter #49 in Manhattan.