Mary Louise (Martz) Minor, born May 6, 1938, in Aberdeen, South Dakota to Glenn Martz and Beverly Smith Martz, suddenly and unexpectedly left her earthly body Friday, October 20, 2023.

While Mary spent most of her childhood in the Dakotas, in the late 1950s she resided in Virginia; fell in love and married Malcolm Crouch Minor (deceased). Mary found herself spending the better part of a decade as an expectant mother. Her large family (which she would sometimes refer to as her baseball team) was her greatest badge of honor. If you knew Mary in the mid-seventies during the baseball season, you might find her with friends watching the World Series; where the house was filled with food, laughter and cheering. Mary (a.k.a. Nana) will be forever missed by her nine children, multiple grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Like her father, Mary had the gift of writing and telling stories. Some of her stories were published in a local newspaper in Summerdale, Alabama back in the 1970s. Mary often shared a memory of her father where he expressed she was a much better writer than he was.

As a young mother, Mary took on the role of “Bluebird Leader”, a program that introduced young girls to “creative play built around family and community”. With her young daughters as members, she would coordinate craft activities, snacks and memories that would last a lifetime. In the early years, life was filled with camping, picnics and hiking trips. However, in the mid-seventies Mary found herself experiencing some of her most difficult life challenges; recovering from severe injuries following a serious automobile accident. These injuries would alter her physical nature for the remainder of her life.

As the winds of change blew into the 1980s, Mary found herself single again. Even her automobile injuries could not hold her down. She often called herself a “wandering soul”, continuously anticipating her next adventure. She boasted once that in her 85 years, she had moved over 70 times. While she spent most of her adult life in Northern Virginia, she also ventured into places like Melbourne, Florida; Cedarville, Ohio, Minnesota and Arizona. Mary found her happiness in change.

In the final chapters of Mary’s life, she spent her time cooking and sharing meals with others. Mary was a true “Foodie”. Most of us knew of her daily menu, anticipated food choices and experiences. She always made sure she had enough food to feed a small army. Mary enjoyed the holidays, especially Christmastime, which would bring out a childlike glee and sparkle in her eyes. Mary’s love of cats earned her the official title of “Cat Lady”. With her eyesight failing, it is rumored that she once fed a skunk outside her back patio. Another favorite pastime of Mary’s included devotional bible studies, with a focus on her relationship with Jesus Christ. A few years ago, she wrote a song that meant the world to her. I promised her that one day, I would put music to it.

I Am Covered by the Blood of the Lamb
by Mary Louise Martz Minor

I am covered by the blood of the Lamb
I am loved by the great I AM
When I bow down to pray, you can hear me say
I am covered by the Blood of the Lamb

I am saved by Amazing Grace
and when I meet him face to face
He will smile and say, you have found the Way
You are saved by amazing Grace

He told me I was a sinner
But my new birth has set me free
I not only heard, but I followed his Word
I’ll be with Him through Eternity
I am covered by the blood of the Lamb

Mary is not alone in her next great adventure, as she is welcomed and celebrated into her heavenly home by family and friends who preceded her in death, which include her mother and father, Glenn Martz and Beverly Smith Martz; along with two siblings; Sally Southgate and Terrence Martz who passed in 1944 at the age of 5; her grandson, Mitchell Lee Minor and great-granddaughter Rhone Willow Bentley.

Mary is survived by all nine (9) of her children, which began with Craig Lynn Minor and wife Carrie, Kimberly Ann Johnson and husband Mike, Kathleen Marie Turner and husband Mark, Kelly Deanne McBride and husband Shawn, Michele Louise O’Conner, Glenn Martz Minor, Patrick Wayne Minor, Mary Louise Minor, Jr., Terrence Vincent Minor and wife Michelle. We would also have to include her cat “Baby”, who in every aspect was part of her family and her baby, who graciously provided loving companionship for the latter part of her life’s journey.

Mary’s contribution to life continues to blossom with many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Craig Minor’s children, Taylor Minor, Grace (Minor) Becknell, Mitchell Minor (deceased), and Levi Minor; Kimberly Ann Johnson’s children, Michael Johnson, Matthew Johnson, Rachel (Johnson) Bentley, Andrew Johnson; Kathleen Turner’s children, Daniel Stumpff , Sarah (Stumpff) Button, Jacob Turner; Kelly McBride’s children, Dustin Clark, Richelle (Clark) Pittman, Christian Clark, Samuel Clark, Ashley Clark-Young; Michele O’Conner’s children, Melissa Myers, Joseph Myers, and Christopher Myers; Glenn Minor’s children, Glenn Minor Jr., Shane Minor, Nathan Minor, Kyle Minor, and Amber Minor; Patrick Minor’s children, Tayler Graham and Erin Graham; Mary Lou Minor Jr’s children, Sheigh Minor, Anna Scherzinger, and Isaiah Scherzinger; Terrance Minor’s child, Aidan Minor; great-grandchildren, Taylor Minor’s children, Emma, Madeline, Paige and Victoria Minor; Grace Becknell’s children, Anna, Lucy, and Miles Becknell; Levi Minor’s children, Lincoln, Creighton and Leila Minor; Michael Johnson’s children, Blake and Hayden Johnson; Rachel Johnson’s child, Rhone Willow Bentley (deceased), Daniel Stumpff’s children, Alley, Kendra, and William Stumpff; Sarah (Stumpff) Button child, Charlotte Button; Dustin Clark’s children, Emanuel, Sophie, and Betsy Clark; Richelle Pittman’s children, Adelaide, Harper, Violet, and Wright Pittman; Sam Clark’s children, John-Wiley and Theodore Clark; Ashley Clark-Young’s children, Hazel and Sage Clark-Young; Amber Minor’s children, Aaliyah Thalia Rose, Wynter Joseph, Presley Michael and Castiel Orion Minor; Erin Graham’s child, Trinity Graham; Sheigh Minor’s children, Aubrielle and Austin Minor; great-great grandchild, Alley Stumpff’s children, Bradley and Eloise Staley…and many more on the way.

We love you Mom.