My fairy godmother waved her wand one last time.
The toddlers that shared in joy, laughter, stories, snacks, and art making during the September 19 Toddler Tuesday are a unique group . . . the last to reap the rewards of the meticulous, disciplined, dedicated, and loving efforts of our dear Mary Kluz.
Mary died on September 11, age 90.
I asked to blog for this installment of “Woodson Wanderings” in tribute to Mary. I’m struggling for words and not for the reasons you may suspect. I want this to honor Mary – to reflect what she would want. The Mary I know wouldn’t want a maudlin retrospective.
Mary always anticipated the next project and didn’t fret over the last – “Whatcha got for me, Lisa?” Mary never stopped; she cut hands-on art projects nearly until she drew her last breath. Mary told me – over the last few months – that she was prepping an abundance of a particular project so that the Museum would have a supply for when she was gone.
The Mary I know lives on in her work, in the smiles of our littlest visitors, in the projects gracing many refrigerator doors, and in my heart.
Let the blogpost I wrote in February stand as my tribute. I know Mary read it and I am guessing that it met with her approval (which was hard-earned and sparingly given) because she and I never spoke of it; I surely would have known had she disapproved.
To honor Mary, get to work.
Visit the Woodson Art Museum. Programming for all ages and stages – including Toddler Tuesday – go on. Mary wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mary J. Kluz
July 27, 1927 – September 11, 2017
