Mary Lowe Shultz

Fort Collins lost a champion for women and the elderly when 95-year-old Mary Elizabeth Lowe Shultz passed away at Centre Avenue Health and Rehabilitation on Thursday, July 26, 2018. In spite of her strong will and fighting spirit, old age finally caught up with her and ended her service to others.

Mary was the eldest daughter of Lyle and Mary Lowe of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Much of her early childhood was spent on the eastern Colorado high prairie as her father moved from one small town to another setting up post offices and re-starting banks after the Great Depression. Following graduation from Palmer High School, she attended the University of Colorado in Boulder and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. She began a 26-year career in hospital laboratories in Utah, Missouri, and Colorado. In 1971, Mary moved to Fort Collins, where she earned a Master of Science degree in health education and was employed in the Department of Microbiology at Colorado State University. After retirement from CSU in 1989, she worked for the Fort Collins Youth Clinic, Sunrise Clinic in Greeley, and Salud Family Health Center in Fort Collins. She was a skilled phlebotomist and was especially appreciated for her ability to work with small, seriously ill, children.

Mary was an active Girl Scout Leader for several different troops in Colorado Springs and later Fort Collins, and she was involved in the operation of summer Day Camps in both cities. In 1959, she was involved in the planning and execution of the national Girl Scout Round-Up with 8,500 young women gathering near the future home of the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs. She believed all girls should have the opportunity to join the Girl Scouts, so she started a mixed age troop at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind in the 1960's. After moving to Fort Collins, she created a troop for girls with mental and physical challenges, and took them camping in nearby Poudre Canyon.

Mary volunteered and served in leadership roles for the American Association of University Women, Fort Collins Foundation on Aging, Larimer County Office on Aging Advisory Council, Fort Collins Human Relations Commission, and Fort Collins Senior Center Capital Campaigns. In 2018, the Office on Aging Advisory Council honored Mary for her service and dedication to the elderly in Larimer County. She was an active member of the Plymouth Congregational Church and served on several of their committees.

Mary enjoyed collecting stamps, silver spoons, teddy bears, and dolls from the foreign countries she visited after her retirement. She kept detailed photo albums describing her travels and was very interested in genealogy. She was a skilled seamstress and enjoyed embroidery. There were always a variety of pets in the house, and she raised Miniature Poodles and Old English Sheepdogs. Her large backyard was home to a wide variety of well-fed wild birds and squirrels, and she excelled in her ability to cultivate beautiful flowers and roses. Many were surprised to learn that Mary started taking organ lessons later in life, and she enjoyed playing her church organ in the basement.

She is survived by three daughters, Mary (Brian) Coates of Delta, Colorado; Joan (Dick) Bowen of Wellington, Colorado; and Elizabeth (Mike) Grant of Mustang, Oklahoma; four grandchildren and one great grandchild. She was predeceased by her parents, Lyle and Mary Lowe; siblings Lyle, Joan, Duane, and Keith Lowe; and ex-husband, Norman Shultz. She enjoyed many years of friendship with Elaine Boni, Helen Davies, Betty Moseley and Mary Munger. The family would like to thank the staff at the Internal Medicine Clinic, South Shields Dental Group, New Mercer Commons, Centre Avenue Health and Rehabilitation, and Pathways Hospice.

A memorial service will be held at Plymouth Congregational Church, 916 West Prospect, on Wednesday August 15 at 10AM. Donations may be made to Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, 7155 East 38th Avenue, Denver, CO 80207; or the American Association of University Women in care of Goes Funeral Care, 3665 Canal Dr. Suite E, Fort Collins, CO 80524.