Mary Pieper

Mary Olsen was born in Brigham City, Utah, on November 27, 1915—the 5th child of 9—to Rupert and Genevieve Olsen. She passed away on Friday, March 9, 2012, at her home in Rigby, Idaho. Mary contracted typhoid fever as a young child and was very ill for many weeks. She attended schools in Brigham City and graduated from Box Elder High School at the age of 16. That fall on a trip to visit her cousins who lived in Archer, Idaho, she accompanied them to school where she met their teacher, a newly returned missionary Henry Pieper. After dancing with him at a school Halloween Carnival, their long-distance friendship and correspondence led to their marriage four years later, December 24, 1935, in the Logan, Utah, LDS Temple. Mary and her new husband settled in a small house in Archer where Henry continued to teach school. In 1940 Henry and Mary moved to Rigby, Idaho, and Henry began his career selling tires. It was war time and recapping tires was a good business for Henry. In Rigby the Piepers raised their family. Mary was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and especially enjoyed her opportunities to work with young people. She served in many ward and stake organization presidencies and loved being a teacher. In 1978-79 Henry and Mary served together as LDS missionaries for 18 months in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission, and they were Idaho Falls Temple officiators for 14 years. Mary was a long-time member and officer in the Rigby Study Club and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She served many years as an election judge. She was chosen as Rigby’s Mother of the Year in 1981 and was recognized in 2006 at the age of 91 as one of Rigby’s Home Town Heroes. Mary’s hobbies and talents included sewing and creating colorful quilts for her family and others in need; knitting and crocheting beautiful afghans and doilies as well as countless baby shawls, booties and snow caps. She loved collecting family histories and published several books about her ancestors. She enjoyed playing Rummy with her husband, kids and grandkids and was still a strong competitor during the last weeks of her life. She loved music and participated in and promoted a variety of musical activities. She played the violin in her high school orchestra and with her brothers and sisters in a family orchestra (Lottie on the piano, Claude on the clarinet, and Ruth on the cello) which performed at various functions in the Brigham City area. In Rigby she continued to share her violin playing talent at many church and community events. As a young woman Mary was chosen to be queen of the Box Elder Stake Gold and Green Ball, so her children on occasion would teasingly refer to their mother as “Queen Mary” when she would summon them “to court” and make her “wishes” known. She was affectionately known to the younger generation as “Granny Pie.” Mary was a gracious hostess; her home was always open and she warmly welcomed and loved everyone who came in to visit. She had a happy, positive outlook on life and was a caring, thoughtful lady—much loved by those who knew her. Mary was preceded in death by her husband Henry, an infant son Henry Ray, a grandson Doug Cannon, a step-great grandson Chase Sayer and a great-granddaughter Madeleine Duckworth; her parents Rupert Peter and Genevieve Ann Blackburn Olsen; two brothers; Claudius and Thomas Olsen; three sisters: Lottie Roscoe, Ruth Tolman, and Edith Christensen. She is survived by her two sisters: Mae Redelings of Gig Harbor, Washington, and Roxcy Welch of Brigham City, Utah; six children and spouses: Sharon and Ted Hanson of Annis, Idaho, Arlene and Peter Cannon of Shelley, Idaho, Genie and Bill Taylor of Osgood, Idaho, Brenda and Gabe Tau’a of Bountiful, Utah, Frieda and Wayne Buchanan of Janesville, Wisconsin, Blaine and Marianne Pieper of Beaver Dam, Kentucky; 36 grandchildren, 101 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great granddaughter. Appreciation from Mary’s family is extended to her caregivers, therapists, and Hospice nurses as well as close friends and relatives whose visits and thoughtful actions were a light to her life. Funeral services for Mary Olsen Pieper will be held at the Rigby LDS Stake Center at 11 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. Friends and family are invited to a visitation at the Eckersell Funeral Home in Rigby on Monday evening between 6 and 8 pm and prior the funeral services at the Rigby State Center from 9 am to 10:30 am. Burial will be in the Rexburg Cemetery