What Matters Most?

peting and whatever else they feel like sinking their teeth into. “I live with them but sometimes I want to kill them,” she said plainly. Mary usually watches TV on the first level. She reserves the second level for reading and visiting with company.

Mary grew up on a farm in Zearing, Iowa, and moved to Minnesota with her family in 1948 at age 10, after her father sold their farm. Married twice, she worked a variety of jobs during her lifetime, including organist for 30 years at Riverview Baptist in West St. Paul, a position she held until the pandemic hit.

When asked if her children – two sons and a daughter – worry about her climbing, she said, “No, they’re wonderful people, but they leave me alone.” Each lives in the Twin Cities and checks in on her often but they’ve learned not to question her independence. This spring, they convinced her to tour a senior living apartment complex but she said it wasn’t for her. She enjoys being in her home, tending her plants and walking or biking around

P eople

neighborhood. She turns 85 in August and has lived in her home since 1977.

As I watched her climb down the ladder after our interview, I marveled at the strength in her tiny arms and the deftness of her climbing ability. It’s remarkable that she’s able to spend time in her treetop sanctuary given her age and recent health issues. She has had surgery for skin cancer three times