Mary Ann Woolsey

December 12, 1932 - November 29, 2020

Mary Ann Woolsey, 87, of Grand Island, formerly of Inland, went to her heavenly home on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at CHI Health St. Francis due to complications of Covid-19. To honor Mary Ann’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be planned later in 2021, allowing family and friends to travel. All Faiths Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. Memorials are suggested to the Inland Cemetery and the Inland Community School Foundation of Inland, NE. Mary Ann was born December 12, 1932 in Omaha, the daughter of Charles H. and Leota Mae (Allen) Murphy. The family moved to Lincoln while Mary Ann was a young girl. Mary Ann finished her schooling in Lincoln and started working for Kreske’s Five and Dime Store and later for Western Electric. On November 24, 1954 she married George A. Woolsey at the First Methodist Church in Fremont. The couple lived in Lincoln, during which time George finished college at the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture in Lincoln. Upon George’s graduation from the University in 1958, George and Mary Ann moved to Inland in Clay County, NE and started Geo-Ann-Dairy. The Registered Brown Swiss Herd won numerous production and breed awards over the years. They milked until 1992 and remained at Inland until moving to Grand Island in 2010. Mary Ann was a gift maker and gift giver all of her life. She loved to bake cookies, cakes and treats and gave most of her treats away to friends and family. She loved having a big garden and preserving all of her fruits and veggies grown in the garden. She was a great seamstress and was always making quilts and handmade gifts for everyone. Mary Ann enjoyed taking pictures of people and of the Dairy she and George shared together. Truly an animal lover, she spent endless cold winters caring for the milking cows and always had a special “rescue” dog by her side. For over 20 years Mary Ann was a 4-H Leader for Halter Holders 4-H Club. She was active in many organizations over her 60 years in Clay County, including the Garden Club and Clay County Historical Society, of which she always enjoyed the special Christmas and holiday celebrations at Clay County Museum and throughout the county. She was also a member of the Inland Community Home Makers. Those who will cherish her memory include a daughter, Julie (Randy) Meier of Grand Island; a son George Jr. (Monique) Woolsey of Fruita, CO; and her last living sibling and best friend, Charlene Kalkwarf of Lincoln. She is also survived by six grandsons, Joshua (Kelsey) Meier of Doniphan, Jordan Meier of Grand Island, George III (Morgan) Woolsey of Fort Collins, CO, and Gerad Woolsey, Griffin Woolsey and Giles Woolsey, all of Denver, CO; four great-grandchildren, Alexis Meier Glaze of Grand Island , George IV, Evelyn and James Woolsey all of Fort Collins, CO; brother-in-law, Dr. Max Edmondson of Cassville, MO; and a great friend, Darrel Wehnes of Inland, NE. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, George; grandparents; parents; and four siblings, Betty Murphy Sanderson, Lois Murphy Morgan, William Murphy and Rose Marie Murphy Gardner. Online remembrances may be left at www.giallfaiths.com.