Mary Elizabeth Everist, 73, passed away in peace and comfort, surrounded by her family in March of 2025 at Amira Choice Senior Living in Minnetonka, MN. Mary was a long time resident of St. Paul, MN, only recently moving to Amira Choice. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, August 23, 2025, at St. Michael Catholic Cemetery in Sioux Falls.

Mary was born the second child of John Philip "Phil" and Ellen Everist in Sioux Falls, SD. Her early years were spent in Sioux Falls enjoying a midwestern small city childhood. Mary was a member of St. Mary's Parish in Sioux Falls, and attended their Grade School. Throughout her youth, she loved horseback riding and showed five-gaited horses in the midwest for several years. She also loved her summers at Lake Okoboji, Iowa where she explored the natural wonder of the area and engaged in many quiet and active pursuits with family and friends. After graduating from O'Gorman High School and Augustana College in Sioux Falls, Mary worked as an educator for several years and then earned a Master's degree in Education at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN.

Mary's spirit and interests were many - she loved expressing her love of life through painting, and had a special love and affinity for Native American art and culture and made many friends within that community. Mary loved people, and had a special way of focusing on each individual as the "most important" at that moment. She was a dear friend, and could have the most infectious laugh! She was a big fan of the musician Prince and, in her later years, loved watching the Twins, Timberwolves, and Vikings and even cheered for Iowa during March Madness.

Throughout her adult life she bravely dealt with a debilitating health condition that she steadfastly treated with ongoing medication protocols whose side effects eventually took her from us. She was never one to complain about her health challenges, and was a lifelong advocate for her own treatment, approaching each and every day positively and with optimism. She will be terribly missed by all those who ever knew her, but especially by her family.

Mary is survived by her brother John Everist (Nancy), of Brandon, SD, and sister Nancy Everist, of Sioux Falls, SD, nephews Noah Everist (Michelle) of Edina, MN, and Evan Everist (Katie) of Minnetonka, MN, grandnieces Charlotte, Lucia and Thora, grandnephew Finn, many cousins and special friends Tom Deutsch, of St. Paul, and Pixie, her intrepid cat of many lives, now residing in Ely, MN.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents Phil and Ellen, brother David and sister Ellen.

Godspeed, Mary. Rest in peace.

Please consider giving any memorials to the Nature Conservancy (https://preserve.nature.org)