Mary Alice Davis Novotny was born Jan. 23, 1927 in Haywood County, North Carolina to Joseph and Pearl (Snyder) Davis.
Mary passed away quickly and peacefully on Sept. 6, 2019 at the Winner Regional Healthcare Long-Term Care Facility at the age of 92.
A Mass of Christian burial was held on Sept. 14, 2019 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Burial followed at the Winner City Cemetery.
Mary grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina, and was very proud of her southern heritage. She was a 1944 graduate of Waynesville (North Carolina) High School. Mary joined the Catholic Church as a young woman, and was equally proud of her faith.
Mary came to South Dakota to visit her brother, Ben, who had married Iva Engle from Wood. She like it here, got a job, and stayed. She met Paul Novotny at a dance in Wewela. They were married on April 15, 1950 in North Carolina.
Paul and Mary raised their six children on a ranch in eastern Todd County. Mary always raised a big garden to feed her family. She was quite proficient at mowing hay, and could often be seen mowing the corners of the field when she was done so as not to leave a stem of hay standing! Mary LOVED to visit. She fed everyone who came to her house, and often sent them home with a gift.
In 2002, Paul and Mary sold their ranch and moved to Winner to retire. Mary cared for Paul until his declining health reached a point that she could no longer do so. She lived in assisted living and eventually moved to the long-term care facility.
Mary is survived by five or her six children. Catherine, Rapid City, SD; Paul (Susan), DeSmet, SD; Mark (Monica), North Stonington, CT; Teresa (Scott Hollenbeck), Winner, SD; Marianne, Marquette, MI. She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Nathan Novotny, Blythe Novotny, Justine (Ryan) Sauter, Elyssa (Clark) Vargo, Rachel Novotny, Elizabeth (Jarad) Gouge, Jennifer (Raymond) Buchanan, Stephanie Novotny, Sydney Hollenbeck, and Sean (Ashley) Symons. Ten great grandchildren survive Mary: Alexis and Alison Novotny; Jackson and Nash Sauter; Harper Gouge; Vivian, Henry, and Faye Buchanan; and Calvin and Ayla Symons.
Additional survivors include her brother, Bob Davis, Waynesville, NC; daughter-in-law, Marcia Kruse-Novotny, Bandon, OR; brother-in-law, Virgil (Delores) Novotny, Colome, SD and a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Paul Novotny, Sr.; son, Bruce Novotny; son-in-law, Michael Symons; brothers: Tom, Hack, AJ, and Ben Davis; and sister, Sara Mitchem.
Memorials will be directed to Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
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