Obituary of Mary Ann Grass

Mary Ann Grass, 75, of Lexington, South Carolina passed away September 11, 2023 at Prisma Health Richland Columbia, South Carolina.

She was born on October 15, 1947 in Abilene, Kansas to Raymond and Dorothy Harrington Wood.  She grew up on the Riverside Stock Farm near Chapman, Kansas. 

Mary Ann is survived by her husband of 51 years, Joe B. Grass; her children Tim Grass and Brooke Grass Oves (Scott) both of Lexington South Carolina; and granddaughters Veda Louise Oves and Quinn Marie Oves.  Her granddaughters were the light of her life. 

Mary Ann was the oldest of five children. Her surviving siblings include sister Katie Wood Simmons (Kelly), brothers Jim Wood (Becky), and Ken Wood (Debra) of Chapman, Kansas; and Ruth Wood Mustard (Rusty) of Lexington South Carolina.  She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents. 

Mary Ann attended Chapman Elementary School and graduated from Chapman High School in Chapman Kansas in 1965.  She furthered her education to be a Registered Nurse at Marymount College of Kansas and Bethany Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City, Kansas, earning her diploma in 1969.  She then pursued higher education at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1992 and her Master’s Degree in Nursing in 1994 as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Mary Ann served in the Army Nurse Corps from 1968 to 1971.  She attended Basic Training at Ft. Sam Houston followed by assignment at Ft. Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.  She began her nursing career as a nurse’s aide at the Abilene Memorial Hospital in Abilene, Kansas before and during her formal education to become a Registered Nurse. 

After her military service, she worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) at the “old” Columbia Hospital and Richland Memorial Hospital in the Emergency Room and Hemodialysis unit before joining the Columbia VA Hospital in 1978.  She dedicated many years to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit and Hemodialysis units before becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.  Mary Ann was regarded as an extremely competent RN and Nurse Practitioner (NP), having oriented, advised, and precepted countless nurses.   She was one of the first Nurse Practitioners assigned to Primary Care at the VA Medical Center and later worked in the dermatology clinic until her retirement, having served over 35 years as a VA Nurse.  A strong advocate for nursing and Nurse Practitioners, Mary Ann was an active member and leader in the South Carolina Nurses Association Advanced Practice Council. 

Mary Ann learned to sew as a young girl and in later years became an avid quilter.   She was a member of Threads of Time Quilt Guild in Lexington, South Carolina and served as an officer for several years.  She also was a member of Quilts of Valor and made many beautiful quilts for deserving Veterans. 

To honor Mary Ann’s life and the impact she made, a celebration of her journey will be held at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington on September 23, 2023 with visitation from 10:00AM - 11:00AM. A memorial service will follow at 11AM.  For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed at the following link: https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/1656319103

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the International Waldenstrom Foundation.  Your contribution will support vital research and provide hope to those in need. 

Mary Ann will be remembered for her unwavering dedication to her family and profession, her warm heart, and her commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.  May her memory bring comfort to all those who loved her.