Mary Ann Farrington

Mary Ann Farrington died December 6, 2025, at Boulder Community Health from complications of a stroke. She was known to her family and friends as Toots. She is survived by her husband, John, her three children (Nancy, Steve, and Julie), nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Mary Ann was born in Bedford, Iowa, on Sept 15, 1923, to Wyatt and Hope Blakemore. She attended Bedford public schools and graduated from Bedford High in 1940. She attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and earned a degree in speech pathology in 1944. While on her summer breaks, she worked at Lockheed Aviation building bombers for the war effort. Following college, she returned to Bedford, where she taught secretarial skills at Bedford High School for one year. She then moved to Denver, Colorado, where she became secretary to the executive director of the Community Chest (now United Way). While in Denver, she met John, a medical student at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, on a blind date. They were married on December 28, 1950. In 1952, their first child, Nancy, was born. Steve followed the next year. After graduating from medical school and completing his specialty training, they moved to Boulder in 1956. Their youngest child, Julie, was born the next year.

Mary Ann stayed home to raise her children. She was a devoted mother who welcomed her children’s friends into the home and supported them in their interests. Every summer, she took the children to her hometown, where she reconnected with her childhood friends and classmates. After her children were in secondary school, she went to work at Bolen and Company, working there part-time for 15 years.

Upon retiring from Bolen, she began a second career of volunteer work. She was a dedicated member of First Presbyterian church, where she served in the Church Pew Crew for 35 years, as well as a Pink Lady at Boulder Community Hospital for 40 years. She also served on the Coe College Alumni Advisory Board for several years, as well as remaining actively involved with her sisters in the Boulder chapter of the Tri Delta sorority.

Mary Ann loved to entertain and was always involved with her many friends. Her social activities with John included The Gay 90s Dance Club and The Bolder B&B Investment Club. She was an avid golfer, hiker, and fisherwoman. Additionally, she loved to play bridge, still belonging to two Bridge clubs at the time of her death.

Travel was a passion of hers. She made two trips to Europe with her mother. She and John also traveled extensively. These trips included China, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and all 50 states. She also visited the Caribbean and Costa Rica, cruising the Panama Canal.

She will be sorely missed by her family and many friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, Dec. 11th, 11:00 AM at Grace Commons Church (1820 15th St, Boulder, CO 80302). A reception will be held at the church following the service.