Montezuma - Mary L. McCalmont passed away peacefully December 5, 2020 in Montezuma.  Known as "Mar Mar" by her grand and great grandchildren, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn Krueger McCalmont, their infant son Mathew, her parents, Clayton and Lucille Robertson, and her siblings, Eva and Richard.  She is survived by her 5 children – Jack, Scott, Lynnda, Andrew, and Alex, 10 grand and 4 great grandchildren.

Mary was born November 19, 1927, in Great Bend.  She grew up on a farm in Gray County, southwest of Montezuma.  Her memories and stories of growing up during the dust bowl years, attending a one-room elementary school, South Lonestar, and witnessing electricity and phone service coming to the farm were always mesmerizing.  She attended high school in Montezuma where she met Lynn.  After high school, she attended Colorado Women's College, earning an Associate's Degree in Education.

Returning to Gray County from college, Mary taught at Mertilla, the one room school north of Meade.  Following her marriage to Lynn, the couple entered the grocery business in Fowler.  Coupled with child rearing, Mary attended St. Mary's of the Plains and Ft. Hays State to complete her BS Education.  The family subsequently moved to southern New Mexico where Mary retired as a teacher with over 30 years of dedication to the profession.  During her teaching tenure, Mary earned her Master Degree in Education with an emphasis on reading.  Post retirement, Mary continued to volunteer as a reading teacher in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she and Lynn resided for many years.  She enjoyed genealogy, and became an active and certified member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was able to travel and be active with her church in retirement as well.  And whenever her kids and grandkids came to visit, there was always an exhibit, a museum, or something else educational that she would shuttle the family to.

Outside of full time teaching and caring for a family, Mary took a liking to oil painting.  She had a passion for art, museums, history, and….. turtles!  She adopted every box turtle she came across on the road or in the desert while hunting for artifacts, arrowheads, and pottery chips.  Her backyard was a sanctuary for many a lucky turtle and their broods!

Ever friendly and quick to smile, laugh, and engage in conversation with family or a perfect stranger, her farm-bred work ethic, commitment to family, and passion for education will be missed by all who knew and loved her.  And many will miss her prolific cards, letters, and phone calls.

A memorial service for Mary will be held at Fairview Cemetery, Montezuma at 4:00pm, Saturday, June 12, 2021.  An informal dinner will be held at the City Park on the east side of Montezuma at 5:30 after the service.  If weather prevents using the park, dinner will be at the Montezuma Methodist Church.  Friends of the family are welcome.  Please stop by and share some memories. Arrangements have been entrusted to Swaim Funeral Home, Montezuma.  Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guestbook at www.swaimfuneralhome.com .  In lieu of flowers, Mary would be thrilled to have a small donation sent to the Stauth Memorial Museum at 111 N Aztec St, Montezuma, KS, 67867.  She really enjoyed visiting and contributing to that museum.