Mary Kay

By: 
Matt Adelman

While it’s true that our communities in Wyoming are filled with kind, caring, generous people who often give of their time, money and energy to make others’ live better, it is surprisingly rare when someone touches nearly all segments of a community. First of all, it’s a difficult task that requires boundless energy, a deep passion for everyone and everything that makes your community what it is, and a gut-wrenching drive to fix those things you believe need changed.

Mary Kay Kindt was that person in Glenrock, and her Purple Passion often spilled out from the western side of Converse County into Douglas. The decadesold rivalries between the two communities were, for MK anyway, best left on the football field or basketball court. True, her heart pumped purple for her teams, but not really the generic team, more of the very real players. She supported the athletes, the students, the businesses, the people in Glenrock with all she could muster, then offered that same passionate caring for the people in other parts of the county. She really cared about everyone who lives and works here, and for those who used to live or work here. She kept tabs on them as their lives moved on in some other state and let the rest of us know via social media and, before the advent of that, through newsletters and tidbits in the paper.

Many years before she died, she had already earned the distinction of being the keeper of all that is Glenrock. She knew the history, the people, the comings and goings of nearly everyone and the proverbial warts that needed some attention. She would work tirelessly behind the scenes to get those warts fixed, not in an ugly public feud but in a constructive way that made her community better in the long run.

It was Mary Kay - the chamber director, the school bus driver, the community activist and the humanitarian – who helped craft the community’s vision of itself and of its people. She wasn’t perfect, but places without such a passionate person are the worse for it, because without those types of leaders, a community can be left to flounder, sort of an identity crisis.

Most communities which have such leaders have strong, dedicated visions of what they want to become, but most also have a cadre of people who fill that role. While Glenrock has its share, MK carried that passion and vision from one generation to another and from one town administration to the next.

So, it’s no wonder at all that the Glenrock Herder football stadium was filled to the brim at her memorial service last week. And in true Mary Kay fashion, just having a tailgate party before hand told the story of who she was better than we ever could.

Glenrock lost a treasure this month.

Category:

Glenrock Independent

Physical Address:506 W. Birch, Glenrock, WY 82637 Mailing Address: PO Box 109, Douglas, WY 82633 Phone: (307) 436-2211

The Glenrock Independent is located in the Bronco Building

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