Mary Marx Collar passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones on December 12, 2023, just after her 76th birthday. It was an unexpected and quick decline in health that took her too soon.
Mary was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, on December 7, 1947. After attending St. John’s Elementary and Columbus Catholic High School, she received her associate degree in radiology. Mary became a radiology therapy technician at Saint Joseph’s, the hospital she was born in. In 1972, she moved to Peoria, Illinois, and worked at Methodist Hospital for the next 6 years.
In the fall of 1979, she moved to Salt Lake City having accepted a radiation therapy technician position at the University of Utah. She spent 16 years working at the U of U. She immersed herself in the remote geography of Utah and the surrounding states. She especially loved the serenity of the desert landscape and it inspired her to help build a geodesic dome home near La Sal, Utah in 1996. Mary lived off the grid for the next 14 years at 7500’ elevation. She loved watching and feeding the numerous birds, particularly the hummingbirds who kept her busy cooking several gallons of sugar water annually.
Fully retired in 2010, Mary moved to Moab and began to explore herself. She discovered a love for traveling and visited Cuba, Siberia, Iceland, Africa, New Guinea, India and, most recently, New Zealand. She also learned she had a deep passion for painting and successfully showcased her love for desert beauty in her pastels and more recently by using acrylics combined with scratching technique.
Mary was a beautiful woman with a radiant smile that lit up an entire room. She had an enthusiasm for learning, a generous heart, and a love for life. Her impact could be felt everywhere she went and in those she touched.
Mary was preceded in death by her father, Cyril Marx; mother, Mary Marx; and brother, Michael Marx. She will be deeply missed by her brother, Joseph Marx; sister, Barbara Greenway; daughter, Michele Weaver; grandson, Michael Weaver; granddaughter, Tommie Filoso (Noah); and step-granddaughters, Emily Stevens (Robby), Aimee Melone (Jason), Ashley Rawlins (David); as well as by her many friends.
A celebration of life will be hosted at Gallery Moab on January 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to one of Mary’s many favorite charities including but not limited to: Gallery Moab, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Planned Parenthood, and the International Rescue Committee.
