Mary was born in Logan, AL, where she was one of three children of her parents, William Boss Wood and Loice Tucker Wood. She grew up in the Logan community but also lived with her family in Cullman, AL and Winter Haven, FL. She graduated from Cullman High School (Go Bearcats!) in 1949. She played softball and was always interested in physical education. She was part of the court of the Cullman Strawberry Festival Queen in 1949 and later attended Montevallo College. Around this time, she met Don Strandlund who was introduced by a mutual friend while Don was serving in the U.S Navy in Memphis, TN.
Don and Mary married in October 1950 and returned to Don’s home in Moline, IL. After completing his time in the Navy, Don attended Augustana College in nearby Rock Island, IL. He worked in as a photographer part-time and Mary worked cleaning their church, even though they were also beginning a family. While Don attended Augustana Theological Seminary, Mary took on the challenging job of raising their two children.
Don was ordained as a Lutheran minister in Seattle, WA in 1961 and Mary assumed the role of pastor’s wife, another job she took very seriously for the next 40+ years of his ordained ministry. It was her vocation in life and she excelled at it. She hosted parishioners in her home, led church events, helped teach confirmation classes, and extended to Don years of untold patience as he worked in various churches. Mary was always there for him and her children every step of the way in every relocation and new life of ministry in the church.
During Don’s extensive years of ministry, Mary was an ever-present support wherever they were called to serve. They lived in many different places including Tampa, FL; White Bear Lake, MN; DeLand, FL; Melbourne, FL; St. Petersburg, FL; Lakeland, FL; and Cullman, AL. She then accompanied him during his interim service after retirement in churches located in Florence, AL; Jacksonville, AL; and Anniston, AL. Lutherans in all those locations will remember the good humor and faithfulness she brought to their congregations.
Mary will be remembered for her unwavering devotion, care, and love for her children as she considered that her other vocation in life. Her children, Bill and Tina, never left the house without being neat and well-dressed and she made sure that they were taught and used good manners. She required that they respected their elders and that they demonstrated courtesy and acceptance of others everywhere they went. She was known to have a “green thumb” as she always had the most beautiful and well-kept yard in whatever neighborhood her family lived, especially in the sub-tropical warmth of Florida where flowers bloomed all year and fruit trees abounded. Mary was grounded with the earth from her earliest years and she demonstrated that by usually being barefoot in her home and in her yard, even into her senior years.
She was feisty and determined yet gentle in her demeanor. “Granny Mary” was especially fond of time spent with family members and loved being with her five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Her grandchildren remember her playful tenacity at board games and her surprising strength as an arm-wrestler.
Mary is survived by her brother, James Wood; her son, William A. Strandlund (Claudia); her daughter, Christine A. Strandlund; five grandchildren: The Rev. Daniel P. Strandlund (Lucy); Anna Caroline Strandlund Dudley-Robertson (Jason); Sally Culpepper Warren (Nathan); William Joseph Culpepper (Jenna); and Russell Lewis Culpepper; as well as five great-grandchildren: Augustus Lowell Warren (Gus); Abraham Banks Warren (Abe); MJ Dudley; Arliss Wilkes Freeman; and Nora Bell Culpepper. Mary is also survived and will especially be missed by her dearest friend, Cheryl Van Wormer of Somerset, Colorado. In addition, she is survived by eight nieces and nephews who thought of her as the best aunt ever.
She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 75 years, The Reverend Donald Russell Strandlund; her aforementioned parents; one sister, Hilda Jean Wood Freeman; and one nephew, Dr. Phillip Wood Freeman.
Memorial service details at Grace Episcopal Church in Cullman, AL will be provided at a future date. The family requests that donations be made to the Grace Episcopal Church Flower Fund in lieu of flowers.
