Mary Amelia Wahlert passed away Wednesday, May 27, at the age of 80. Mary succumbed to a brief illness and was surrounded by family at her passing.

Born July 2, 1945, to Paul and Donna Glass, Mary was born in Santa Monica, California. Joined later by her little sister, Jane, Mary was a California girl through and through. Mary graduated from Santa Monica High School and later welcomed her first child, Randolph, in the winter of 1964, followed by her daughter, Kelly, in the spring of 1965. Together, they moved from Malibu to Arroyo Grande in the early 1970s, where she met her soon-to-be husband, Charles Wahlert, after connecting over their shared love of horses. Mary and Charles were wed not long after, in September of 1969. Charles and Mary raised their children alongside their horses and cattle on the golden plains of the coast of Central California.

Following their children, Mary and Charles moved to Oregon in the 1980s, building a home and a life alongside the peaceful waters of the McKenzie River. In 1990, Mary received her nursing license, beginning a career in nursing that spanned the next two decades. Mary served as a floor nurse, a dialysis nurse, and finished her career as a nurse in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Mary's real passion in life was horses. Mary and Charles belonged to the Oregon Quarter Horse Association for decades. Mary and Charles took great pride in horse husbandry, proudly showing their horses in trail and western pleasure, often traveling to participate in shows alongside their community of fellow equine enthusiasts. In her later years, Mary and Charles brought life back to an old farm property in Walterville, building an arena to ride horses in and renovating their home in Mary's classic and sophisticated English decorating style. There, she lived many wonderful years with Charles, their beloved horses, and their furry dog companions.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Donna Glass. Mary is survived by her husband of 56 years, Charles; her children, Randolph (Christeene) Buzza and Kelly (Brian) Hauser; her grandchildren, Kaileene (Will) McGillvrey, Nakalan (Ben) McKay, and Morgan (David) Swope; her great-grandchildren, Maddalyn, Megan, Wyatt, and Austin McGillvrey, and Caloway, Lane, Samuel, and Anne Everly McKay; and her sister, Jane (Dennis) James, and niece, Bridey (Jeremy) Guthrie.