At the time of her 50-year reunion with other University of Wichita graduates of 1939, Mary E. (Reser) Gary said her fondest memories of her student days were of "Mr. Wilner, the many college plays and Alpha Tau Sigma."
George Wilner was professor and acting head of the department of speech and dramatic expression during Gary's time on campus. He directed her in a number of productions, including 1938's Elizabeth, the Queen. "Miss Mary Elsie Reser as Elizabeth gave the most distinguished character portrayal of the year," a Parnassus writer reported.
Active in her sorority as well as dramatics, she was chosen as WU's May Queen her senior year. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English, she moved to Dallas where she met her future husband and worked for a short time at Neiman Marcus as a runway model. She married James Gary in 1941 in Wichita, her hometown. During the early years of their marriage, the Garys made their home in many small towns across the middle of the United States, from North Dakota to Louisiana, as they moved from one work location to another; James was a geophysicist.
Mary and Jim had four children and in 1960 settled down in Montrose, Colo., building a home in 1965 on Spring Creek Mesa, where they ran a small ranch. After Jim's death in 1973, Mary continued to live on and run their ranch until 2007.
Mary Gary died June 12, 2011 in Montrose.
