FT. PIERRE, SD – Mary was born in Pierre, SD on March 24, 1927, to Walter D. and Katie Belle Jones Briggs, joining siblings Kirby, Keith and Wauneta. The family home was a log cabin located on the Cheyenne River, which was later moved to a different location. As a child, Mary’s parents had a huge truck garden which she helped with, but her greatest joy was riding her horse bareback across the Cheyenne River breaks checking livestock or being a “go-fer” for her dad. Idle time was spent lying on the cellar door identifying animal shapes in the clouds. Mary loved the outdoors.

Mary completed eight grades of school in seven years, attending Carlin school on Robbs Flat. Mary attended high school in Pierre, graduating in May 1944. While attending high school Mary boarded with the Wyman family, caring for baby Caroline and helping around the house for Room and Board.

Upon graduation, Mary moved to Clinton Iowa to assist her sister Wauneta and husband Roy Leo with the birth of the new baby. While there she also worked for an accounting firm as a bookkeeper. Upon returning home, Mary returned to attending country dances where she had previously been escorted to by her brothers and where she met her future husband. Mary wed Ralph “Bud” Hedman on June 17, 1945, at Grace Lutheran Church in Hayes, SD. The first marriage in the church. They started a new custom when Bud took Mary to sit with him as it had been the custom for men to sit on one side of the church and women on the other.

After a Honeymoon to the Black Hills, Mary and Bud made their home in Hayes at the family home with Bud’s parents. Bud’s father Ellis was excited for more grandchildren but sadly passed away before meeting any of Mary and Bud’s seven children: Roger, Dena, Renee, Roxanne, Kirby, Karla and Yvette.

Mary was very active in the community including Grace Lutheran Church, Grace Lutheran Women’s Circle and the Hayes Community Play.

After the passing of her husband Bud, Mary lived with daughter Dena for 10 years and enjoyed her time there watching the cattle, the horses, the traffic and her cat Mustachio. In her last years, Mary lived at Peaceful Pines Assisted Living in Pierre which was her home at the time of her passing.

Mary is survived by her children: Dena (Tom) Kinsella of Ft. Pierre, Renee (Steve) Wegener of Pierre, Roxanne Hedman of New Berlin, Wisconsin, Kirby (Karla) Hedman of Rapid City, Karla Hedman of Ft. Pierre and Yvette (Alan) Thomas of Pierre, daughter-in-law Bev Hedman of Pierre as well as a multitude of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other extended family. Mary was preceded in death by her husband Bud, parents, Walter and Katie Briggs, her parents-in-law, Cora and Ellis Hedman, brother Keith “Bud” Briggs, brother Kirby Briggs and wife Lillian, sister Wauneta Stoeser and husband Roy Leo and sister-in-law Isabelle Hedman Jacobson and husbands Roland Stapf, William Elliott, and Ed Jacobson; son Roger Hedman, grandchildren Zachariah, Jesse, Brett and Jackson; great-grandchildren Chance, Chalan and Christopher and son-in-law Kim Hallock (Karla Hedman).

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church of Hays, SD.

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