Mary Jean Frasier

Mary Frasier, 83, of Denver, Colorado, formerly of Pierre, South Dakota, died Friday, October 13th, 2023 in Serenity House Memory Care in Littleton, Colorado of natural causes. Mary was born June 9th, 1940 to Verne and Rachel (Stevens) Frasier of Presho, SD. She graduated from Presho High School in 1958 and continued her education, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Library Science at Black Hills State College in Spearfish, SD in 1962 and a Master's degree in Library Science from Denver University, in Denver, CO in 1963. Mary was active in the South Dakota Library Association, the Mountain Plains Library Association, the Business and Professional Women of South Dakota, as well as the Catholic Daughters.

Mary accepted a position at the South Dakota State Library in Pierre, SD as the Reference Librarian immediately after graduation in 1963. Due to increased disability, after 27 years Mary retired from her position as head of the Reference Department at the State Library on October 12, 1990. This was a most difficult decision, as Mary's work helping people was a major part of her life.

Mary lived with her parents and younger sister, Marsha, in Presho until leaving for college in 1958. Mary had a serious illness with high fever at the age of 6 months that damaged her motor nerves, causing it to be difficult for Mary to balance or holding objects such as a pencil for writing. Mary dealt with this disability the rest of her life. Her early years in the 1940's and 1950's were very difficult, as there were very few exceptions made for her physical limitations. With the help of her mother and close friends she rose above it and made a very successful life.

Mary's father died just a month after she graduated from DU in 1963 and started her career at the South Dakota State Library. Two years later, in 1965, her mother, Rachel, accepted a job with the State Welfare Department in Pierre and they decided to live together. Buying her own home in Filmore in 1980 was a landmark in Mary's life and such a proud accomplishment for her. In 1992, due to health issues, Mary's mother moved to Denver with Marsha's family. Mary lived on her own for those 30 years from 1992 to 2022 with the help of great neighbors and good friends. In July of 2022, health issues required that Mary sell her home in Pierre and move to Denver with her sister Marsha and her husband Dave. She had struggled for the last few years in her home, needing home health care to remain independent, so as not to burden others. Mary and Marsha had always had a special bond as sisters and this year together was a precious gift for both of them.

Mary was baptized and confirmed at Christ the King Catholic Church in Presho, where she assisted her mother and grandmother with care of altar linens and decorations. During the early years in Pierre she was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Ft. Pierre, and in the later years she was a member at Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre. Mary's devotion to her Catholic faith was at the center of her life. Through sickness, unfortunate circumstances, happiness, and health, she never faltered in her love and dedication to her faith!

As a child, she loved playing with dolls and had quite a collection. Her next passion was playing games, any and all of them!! She especially liked softball, and was even able to pitch! In the early 1970's Mary and Rachel played tennis! Board and card games continued to be a great joy to Mary even up until the last few weeks of her life. Her other interests were shopping, fashion clothing and jewelry, collecting angels, creating photo memory books, watching Christmas movies and old TV series (including "Dragnet" and "Adam 12"), and especially going out to coffee with friends! Mary's favorite color was yellow and anyone who met Mary soon learned of her love for chocolate and experienced her incredible sense of humor. She always left you smiling. Mary never quit teaching us lessons in humility and generosity!

Mary is survived by her sister, Marsha Sanders, brother-in-law, Dave Sanders, and her nephew, Scot Sanders and his wife, Lilli Black Sanders.

The funeral will be held at Spirit of Christ Catholic Church (7400 W. 80th Ave., Arvada, CO 80003) on Wednesday, November 8th at 11:00am. A luncheon reception will follow in the St. Pope John XXIII room in the church basement, provided by the Spirit of Christ TOUCH ministry.

The burial will take place at Holy Angels Catholic Cemetery in Presho, SD, Monday, November 13 at 1:00 PM (CST), where she will be laid to rest with her parents, Verne and Rachel Frasier.

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it

(anywhere I go, you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you.

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

e.e. cummings