Mary Watson Hales

It is with sadness of heart that the Hales family announces the death of Mary Hales, 94, of Casper, Wyoming. Never one to shy from a good struggle, she held on until early morning November 21, 2024 when she passed peacefully at Central Wyoming Hospice.

Born into a far different world on September 16, 1930 in St. Joseph, MO, Mary saw early that her privilege carried with it a special obligation to encourage and develop those around her. Endlessly energetic and cheerful, she found the perfect platform with the Girl Scouts. Following graduation from Park College in 1952 with a degree in Political Science, she served as a camp counselor at the Flying G Ranch in Colorado. After two summers there, she signed on with the Wyoming Girl Scout Council as a professional field director in Casper. She met, and married in 1954 Bill Hales Jr., son of Ruth V. Hales a Girl Scouting mentor. There is a lovely display of the family’s four generations of shared scouting history at Casper College. Mary’s four children were raised with KP charts, songs and campfires. Mary capped her scouting career in 1957 when she accompanied a group of young women to Europe for an International Encampment and multi week tour of France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland where Our Chalet is located.

With the scouts as a solid community service springboard, Mary launched into a life of service. She participated on numerous boards and commissions, including the Casper Zoning Board of Adjustment for 10 years, and, Planned Parenthood, also for 10 years. She could be found regularly attending and supporting groups as varied as the League of Women Voters, Casper Symphony, Friends of the Library, and the Committee on Foreign Relations. She was a 50 year cancer survivor.

As her love for advocacy continued to develop, she found her true home with politics, and the Democratic Party. The Hales’ dining table was often strewn with campaign literature, envelopes to be stuffed, and stickers to be affixed. She served as Secretary of the State Democratic Party, was a precinct and state committeewoman, and was a delegate to numerous state conventions. At the national level, she was a delegate to two Democratic National Conventions ushering in the era of Barack Obama. In 2008, she was appointed to the Wyoming State Legislature to fill a vacated two year term in House District 36. Her daughter Sally told her it was her honorary PHD. She took the effort in stride and filled her hotel room in Cheyenne with multiple tables of bills, information packets, and legislative committee calendars. We were very proud of her service. It was cut short with her defeat following a valiant re-election campaign in 2010. Dismayed by the changing tide in cooperative politics, she continued to work with advocacy groups locally and nationally to support quality health care, women’s rights, and social justice.

Woven in with her advocacy work was a long, successful, 30 years career as a real estate agent. She worked primarily through Stratton Real Estate for 18 years, held a Broker’s license, was a graduate of the Realtors Institute, and was a Certified Residential Specialist. She helped many Casperites become first time homebuyers, and was proud of her 80% return and referral business.

There’s an amusing certificate from 1951 awarding Mary a Park College letter for badminton skills. If she wasn’t going to a committee meeting, serving as an election judge, or running a campaign, then she was off to a beloved athletic activity. We waved her away from the dining table for volleyball leagues, golf tournaments and tennis matches. Her table tennis career with the Casper Seniors is legendary. Her support of local sports teams was true. She encouraged her kids to follow in her footsteps, supporting them at their many school athletic meets and with the Casper Mountain Racers.

She is survived by her brother, John Watson, of St. Joseph, MO; children Sally Hales of Sheridan, WY; Ruth Stadler (Jim) of Littleton, CO; Tom Hales (Susie) of Eden, UT; and, Amy Boyd (Matt) of Castle Rock, CO. Additional survivors are grandchildren Grace Boyd and Jane Boyd of Colorado, nephews John Watson, Jr. of Missouri, and nephews Robby Baker of Colorado and Don Baker of Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

The family gratefully acknowledges the support, kindness and compassion of the Central Wyoming Transitions and Hospice staff and volunteers. We are forever indebted. And, to the many friends (her local family) who faithfully kept her going during her lingering illness, thank you. We are blessed to have known each of you.

Services will be held at Newcomer Funeral Home on Friday, December 6, at 1:30p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to suggest donations to Central Wyoming Hospice, Planned Parenthood, or, an advocacy organization of your choice.