Mary Dickerson Tollefson

Mary C. Dickerson Tollefson, Overland Park, Kansas, passed away August 11, 2012, at age 93 from complications of a stroke.

Mary and her twin brother Jack were born January 24, 1919, to Rhett and Jessie Knox Robinson in Franklin County, Kansas, the youngest of six children, and grew up in and around Olathe, Kansas, during the Great Depression. While working as secretary to C. T. Hall, Johnson County Agricultural Agent, Mary met Max Dickerson, Leavenworth County Agricultural Agent. They married in 1940 and lived in Leavenworth, Kansas, during which time Mary served as a Girl Scout leader.

In 1943 they moved to Hiawatha, Kansas, where Max served as Brown County Agricultural Agent and then was engaged in agri-business. During the next several years, sons David and Roger and daughter Sara were born. Mary and Max were heavily involved in supporting their children in 4-H and were also active promoters of Guernsey dairy cattle. They then moved to Prairie Village, Kansas, when Max switched to the banking business in 1958. While the children were in college and after, avid ball fans Mary and Max frequently made trips to Manhattan to see KSU football and basketball games. They were both very active in Overland Park Christian Church and continued to support the 4-H programs. Mary also was active in her church's women's circle and PEO. She continued these activities until her death. Mary and Max started doing some world travel, especially while Sara studied in France and Belgium. Max passed away July 6, 1982.

In May, 1986, Mary married Carl H. Tollefson. Mary and Carl continued to support 4-H, continued world travel, especially to Scandinavia. They were active in the NOW Group at Overland Park Christian Church, and very active in the People-to-People program sponsoring international military officers and their families when those officers came to Leavenworth to attend the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. Carl passed away in 2007. Mary had lived at Brookdale Place in Overland Park, Kansas, since late 2008. Mary continued to be active in the NOW Group, Women's Circle and PEO, even after Carl passed. She always enjoyed a game of bridge and was an avid reader her entire life. Even though she had to bypass college because her mother became ill, many of those around her thought she was a college graduate.

Mary is survived by sons David (Judy) of Cedar Hill, Texas, and Roger of Prairie Village, Kansas; daughter Sara Bernard of Prairie Village, Kansas; stepson Jim (Nadine) Tollefson of Honolulu, Hawaii; step-daughters Marilyn Tollefson of Leawood, Kansas, and Ann (Bill) Crampton of Mission Hills, Kansas; sister-in-law Betty Robinson of Kalispell, Montana; eight grandsons; three step grandsons; one granddaughter; one step-granddaughter; three great grandsons; five great granddaughters; favorite niece Dr. Mary Dee Dickerson of California; many other nieces and nephews; and numerous friends. She is predeceased by her parents, husbands Max and Carl, all her brothers: Leonard, Walter, Myron, Sam, her twin Jack, and daughter-in-law Mary O. Dickerson.

Special thanks is given to her caregivers, Kathy Ganther and JoAnn Lassiter.

A memorial service will be at 3:00 p.m., Friday, August 17, 2012, at Overland Park Christian Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

Kansas 4-H Foundation

Kansas State University

201 Umberger

Manhattan, Kansas 66506-3404

or

Overland Park Christian Church

7600 W. 75th Street

Overland Park, Kansas 66203