Mary Thompson
Joyce Wainscott
The little engine that could, also known as Mary Thompson, has chugged uphill her entire life. A founding member of SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary, Mary was born in Rochester, N.Y., where winter builds character and grit comes standard.
Mary grew up in a small apartment filled with love. Money was tight, but family bonds were strong. On weekends she visited grandparents on nearby farms, pitching in and learning that hard work was part of life. Her maternal grandmother was a strong influence, a true powerhouse whose work ethic left a lasting mark.
Mary began school in a Catholic setting where her curiosity and intellect flourished. At age 14, financial pressures forced her to public school, a transition she didn’t enjoy. Undeterred, Mary marched back to the Catholic school and negotiated her return, arranging installment payments. She funded her education through babysitting, library work, summer camps, and playground supervision, managing a small workforce before she could drive.
Mary attended Nazareth University, majoring in sociology. She married, moved to Arizona, welcomed two children, and completed her degree. A move to California followed, where her husband became an English professor and their third child was born.
When that marriage ended, Mary returned to Rochester with three children and unwavering determination. She worked two jobs—waitressing and night ward clerk—to support her family. Sleep was optional; perseverance was not.
In 1970 Mary entered her professional field as a preschool teacher focused on mental health training, helping paraprofessionals identify children needing support. Assisting seniors at the East Side Community Center, she discovered a transformative skill: grant writing. This talent became her superpower, opening doors to stability, influence, and meaningful impact.
After a second marriage ended in 1977, Mary met the love of her life, John Thompson, in 1978. Their long-distance courtship coincided with one of the busiest periods of her life. She was writing grants, briefly owned an unfinished furniture store called Naked Furniture, leading a Girl Scout troop, raising teenagers, and working on her master’s degree at night—again proving that rest was negotiable.
Mary married John in 1984, sold the store, completed her degree, and moved to Utah. There, Mary ran a YMCA daycare center and launched a grant-writing career, working with state and federal agencies, including housing authorities, community health organizations, and children’s health services.
In 1995 Mary was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. After treatment, she officially retired in 2004. She and John purchased a home in SaddleBrooke in 2003, joined Rotary in 2010, and helped found SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary in 2014, a hands-on service club committed to the Copper Corridor communities.
In 2023 Mary returned to Rochester to be closer to family and to oversee a charity she and John created to help at-risk teenagers complete their education.
Mary Thompson’s story is one of resilience, service, and quiet determination. The little engine didn’t just make it up the hill—she built the track behind her and made sure others could follow.