Mary Kouba, 81, of Sioux Falls, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at Avera McKennan Hospital.

Mary Mason was born on February 26, 1943, in Kennebec, South Dakota, the daughter of Herbert and Gladys (Schlegel) Mason. Besides working on the farm, she had her first job at age 12, waiting tables at Hutch's café.  She was educated in hard work, common sense, customer service, and quick wit.

In 1961, Mary married Lyle Stevens and had two children, Wayne and Shelly. The family made their home in Sioux Falls. On August 10, 1973, Mary wed to Daryle Nortrup. They lived in Sioux Falls for a time before moving to Lincoln, Nebraska. Mary kept busy raising her children and working in car sales.

Following Daryle's death in 1987, Mary moved to Spearfish, South Dakota, where she met and fell in love with Ernest Kouba. Mary and Ernie were married on May 5, 1990, and made their home Spearfish before moving to Rapid City. Mary had the HobbyTown franchises in Spearfish and Rapid City. Mary was an entrepreneur at heart, and after HobbyTown closed, she opened Em's Attic consignment store, first in Rapid City, SD, and then a second store in Mission, SD. Mary was delighted by the treasures she discovered and the regular customers and consigners she called friends. She loved when her grandchildren and their friends would stop by and put on a fashion show. When it came time to retire, Ernie and Mary; a self-proclaimed gypsy, threw a dart at the map, loaded up a U-haul and made way for the Ohio River Valley.

Settling in Glouster, Ohio, Mary didn't slow down much and her "retirement" was short lived. She worked a short stint in the post office and when the chance to take over the local secondhand store came around, Mary was back in business. She opened "Mrs. K's Novelty Shop" in 2010. Mary and Ernie loved exploring their new home, often taking road trips along the foothills of the Appalachians. They always found an auction or an antique store to peruse along the way.

In April 2019, they moved to Scotland, SD. Mary made a lovely home, many new friends, and as Ernie fell ill, she kept him at home, taking wonderful care of him in his final months. She was again widowed in December 2019.  She moved one more time to Sioux Falls to be closer to her kids.

Mary cherished her family, especially any time spent with her grandchildren. She was avid reader, amazing Scrabble player, and seasoned traveler; one of her favorite trips was to Australia with Ernie. She loved to host friends and family for meals and holidays. Mary was a great cook and baker – her dinner rolls, pies, thumb prints, and crescent cookies were family favorites!

To honor her final wishes, rather than a funeral or remembrance service, Mary asked her family to take her on a couple more adventures and scatter her remains in favorite places.

Mary is survived by her son, Wayne (DeeAndra) Stevens, and daughter, Shelly Bullock, both of Sioux Falls; four grandchildren, Katie Bullock and Nathaniel, Natalie, and Eden Stevens;  one great-granddaughter, Marley Stevens, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Gladys Mason; her husbands, Daryle Nortrup and Ernie Kouba; and a granddaughter, Whitney Stevens.