MARY ANN (WICKLUND) STORMS

Mary Ann (Wicklund) Storms , May 7, 1940 – March 07, 2025

Mary Ann Storms, formerly of Garfield, WA, passed away in her Moscow, ID home making her final journey to heaven on March 07, 2025.

Mary Ann was born in Monroe, WA, to Carl Wicklund and Hilda Hamburg Wicklund. She had one older brother, Edmund Wicklund who was 8 years older than she. At the age of 8, Mary Ann moved with her mother to the Yakima Valley after losing her father to an accident while working for the Washington State Highway Department. Mary Ann attended schools in Yakima, graduating from Davis High School in 1958.  Mary Ann attended Yakima Valley Community College before transferring to Washington State College. It was at WSC she met the love of her life and future husband, James on a blind date who was attending the University of Idaho. The couple would’ve celebrated their 64th anniversary in June.

In 1961 Mary Ann and Jim made their first home in LeSueur, MN where Jim had taken a job with Green Giant Foods. It was in Minnesota they grew their family and welcomed their daughter Cindy in 1962 and son Ben in 1964. While in Minnesota, Mary Ann continued her education taking classes at Mankato State. 1n 1968, Mary Ann and Jim moved back to Eastern Washington settling in Garfield where they would live until their move to Moscow in 2020. Mary Ann was a proud Cougar through and through and as a young mother, she commuted to Pullman where she completed and graduated from Washington Sate University with a BA in History in 1970. From her early life, Mary Ann was a huge baseball fan. While in school, she had kept stats for the Yakima Bears. In Minnesota it was the Twins and later on in life the Seattle Mariners had her heart. 

Mary Ann was well known in the Garfield community being actively involved with memberships in many groups such as the American Alumni of University Women (AAUW), 4-H, and Cub Scout  Den Mother and especially the sisterhood of PEO. Never one to be idle, once her children were fairly self sufficient, Mary Ann went back to work. Mary Ann clerked at Bishop Law Office in Garfield for many years before moving on and retiring being recognized as a Golden Cougar from the Genetics and Cell Biology Department at WSU.

Mary Ann served on the Garfield School Board for many years. She was a long time member of the Garfield Methodist Church until the church shuttered its doors in 2018. In her love of the Lord, Mary Ann became a Lay Minister and was called upon to give many sermons at small churches around the area when there was a need for someone to fill in for a pastor. Mary Ann found a new home and was openly welcomed as member with Moscow Methodist Church where she attended services until her frail body didn’t let her to be as mobile as her will wanted to be.

Mary Ann is survived by her husband James, daughter Cindy (Cliff) McAleer of Moscow, ID and son Benjamin (Joie) of Cheney, WA. Her strength and warmth will be remembered and carried on by her 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025 at the Garfield Christian Fellowship Church at 2:00 P.M. with Pastor Derrick McGuckin officiating.      

Kramer Funeral Home, Palouse, WA is caring for the family. On line condolences may be left at www.kramercares.com

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