Mary Elizabeth was born March 27, 1910, in O'Neill, NE., to Lewis and Rena Reece Knapp. She attended rural school District #37 and graduated from O'Neill High School in 1927.

In 1928 Mary lost both her parents and consequently she stayed home to help care for her siblings. In 1929 she started teaching in the rural schools around O'Neill.

In 1933 Mary married Helmer J. Widtfeldt at Ainsworth, Nebraska and they made their home sixteen miles northeast of O'Neill. This was a ranch which was homesteaded by Helmer Widtfeldt, Sr. In 1939 the family moved and spent the next several years in the Sandhills of Nebraska where Mary taught country school and Helmer worked on various ranches.

In 1950 the family moved to Rushville where Mary taught elementary education. In 1967 Mary and Helmer moved to the Chappell area where Mary taught fifth grade and high school art. In 1976 they moved to a farm north of Julesburg, CO and in 1987 moved to Ogallala, NE. Helmer J. Widtfeldt died on July 7, 1989.

Preceding her in death were her parents, two sons David and Max, two brothers Roy and Leonard, seven sisters: Emma Pierson, Helen Hazard, Ette Bell Dugger, Cora Knapp, Anita Morton, Agnes Pierson, and Lola Hungerford; and a son-in-law Larry Tamburro.

Survivors include five daughters: Mary Virginia (William) Kane of Atwood, KS.; Elizabeth Tamburro of Allen Park, MI; Kathy (Stanley) Snyder of Portland, OR; Judy (Ron) LeValley of Brewster, KS; Susan (Randy) Monday of Hemingford, NE; and a son Helmer

(Alta) Widtfeldt of Ogallala. Two sisters: Ruby Morton of Bassett, NE and Rita Morton of Griswold, IA.

Also 28 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren & one great-great-great granddaughter.

Visitation will be Sunday, Feb 3, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Draucker Funeral Home.

Funeral Service will be Monday, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m. in the Ogallala First United Methodist Church with Rev. James Miller officiating.

Interment in the Ogallala Cemetery.

Memorials have been established to the Ogallala First United Methodist Church and to the Ogallala Education Association Scholarship Fund.