Mary Katherine Dyson Bohanan, age 65, passed away on October 11th, 2023 surrounded by family at her home in St. Mary’s City, MD. She battled cancer valiantly, living a happy life despite learning she was terminally ill. That unwavering optimism was inspirational to fellow cancer patients she met along her 12 year battle.
Mary is survived by her husband John L. Bohanan, Jr. whom she married in 1987 at Holy Face Church, and their 4 sons Devin, Mark (Katelyn), Brent, Alexander Truitt, and her two cherished grandchildren Mason and Bryce.
She is also survived by her siblings Roy, Lee (Marsha), Vi (BC), JC (Sandy), Lynn, Patricia, and Steve (Cindy), as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews.
Born on September 28, 1958, she was the daughter of the late LeRoy Benedict and Marie Meise Dyson. Raised in Great Mills, MD, she and her 7 siblings lived next to two other Dyson families, forming a neighborhood of 26 cousins. She was affectionately known as ‘Kath’ until her younger brother, with a difficulty pronouncing, called her ‘Gaff,’ a nickname that stayed for life.
Mary attended Little Flower School before graduating from Great Mills High School, where she served as secretary of the class and finished with the 6th highest grade point average. Mary went on to receive her Bachelors of Science from Salisbury University with honors in 1980. She and many of her classmates remained close friends with many of her high school classmates and met frequently for reunions.
After college, Mary embarked on two cross-country adventures, exploring the beauty of the United States before becoming a Municipal Planner near Denver, Colorado. In 1982, she returned home to care for her ailing father and eventually joined the family business, Dyson Lumber Company. There, she excelled and spent most of her career, spearheading efforts to modernize the business by introducing automated technologies and other efficiencies.
Making a difficult career change late in life, Mary bravely launched her own business before discovering her true passion as the Events Manager at Historic St. Mary’s City, where she thrived for the last seven years, earning the admiration of brides, vendors, and customers for her infectious enthusiasm.
Mary was also a dedicated community volunteer, generously giving her time to organizations like Christmas in April and Relay for Life.
Her real passion was her devotion to raising four sons. In addition to taking on most parenting duties while her husband served as an elected official, she actively supported her sons in every school activity or sport they participated in. She spent countless hours volunteering as team mom for football, soccer, swim team, tennis, and wrestling. She even earned an official title as Team Parent Organizer for the US Naval Academy crew team.
Mary found joy in celebrating her beloved friendships, especially through cherished getaways and spending time in Ocean City for beach week each year, a tradition that started 19 years ago with five families and continuously grew over the years.
Mary will long be remembered for lighting up a room with her smile and positive demeanor. She had the rare ability to make everyone feel special and included. Anyone was welcome to share a meal, lean on her for support, seek her advice, or just soak in her smile. She will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her.
The family will welcome friends at Brinsfield Funeral Home in Leonardtown on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 5:00 PM, with Reverend John Ball leading prayers at 7:00 PM. A funeral service will take place on Friday, October 20th at 10:00 AM at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Mary’s City. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Sunday, October 22, 2023, at 12:00 Noon under the Pavilion at Historic St. Mary’s City.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to:
The St. Mary’s County YMCA Project
https://operations.daxko.com/online/2043/OnlineGiving/Donation.mvc
Hospice of St. Mary’s County
https://giving.medstarhealth.org/medstarhealth/get-involved/donate/hospice
Or your local Fire and Rescue Departments
