Mary Alice Gilmore was born November 28, 1920 in Walt Hill, NE to parents John L. and Blanche P. (Tuttle) Irby. She passed away July 1, 2017 at the Centerville Care and Rehab Center at the age of 96 years.

Mary received her elementary education in Walt Hill, Nebraska, graduated from high school in Staples, MN, and graduated in 1939 from the Interstate Business College in Fargo, ND. She married Lewis Gilmore on May 29, 1940 in Staples, MN. The couple eventually moved to Centerville, SD where Mary has resided until the present time.

Mary worked in medical, legal and retail offices and was employed by Nervig Travel for 28 years, retiring in 1987. She was a travel agent and tour escort. She had visited 90 different locales during her career and visited Hawaii over 30 times. She was a member of Scandia Lutheran Church where she was active in the Ladies Aid and was a Cancer Care volunteer at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Mary was fond of quoting “If the Lord is with me, who can be against me?” She will be dearly missed by her family and all those who knew her. God bless her memory.

Her survivors include four children, Jan (Bob) Steadman, Centerville, SD, Barbara (Chuck) King, Winchester, TN, Michael (Jean) Gilmore, Dell Rapids, SD and Susan (Jerry) Foster, Rapid City, SD; 14 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, 1 great, great grandchild and many relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Sheree Deaderick, son Douglas Gilmore, 4 brothers and 3 sisters.

Memorial services will be held 1:00 PM, Friday, July 7, 2017 at Scandia Lutheran Church, Centerville, SD. On-line condolences may be left at the Wass Funeral Home website.