Mary Wood Bush, 88, died on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, at her home in Brookings. Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Brookings. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Mary Wood was born in Maysville, KY on March 13, 1925 to Margaret Lucille Lee and Harry Cleveland Lee. She was their only child. She graduated from Brooksville High School in 1943, and went on to attend Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College (now Eastern Kentucky University). Pursuing her passion for textiles, cooking, and homemaking, she earned a bachelor's degree in Home Economics in 1947. Following graduation, she took a job at Flemingsburg High School where she taught Home Ec from 1947 to 1949. Mary Wood, or "Woody" as she was often lovingly called, married her high school sweetheart, Leon F. Bush, on June 7th, 1949. In 1952, they moved with their first child, Peggy, to Ithaca, New York. There, Leon completed his doctorate in Animal Science at Cornell University and their second child, David, was born. Brookings, SD became home for Mary Wood when Leon accepted a position as associate professor in the Animal Science Department of South Dakota State University in 1954. They purchased an acreage in Sunnyview, where they raised their four children and enjoyed the pleasures of country living. Mary Wood and Leon lived abroad twice, the first time in Iran with their two youngest children, Patricia and John, from 1972-1974, where Leon served as a consultant for the Development & Resources Corporation. From April 1979 to August 1983, they lived in Gaborone, Botswana, where Leon worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at Botswana Agricultural College. Mary Wood was a stay-at-home mom and provided constant love and support for her children's many activities, including school, scouting and 4-H. She was amazingly tolerant of the myriad animals in the Bush menagerie, ranging from wild rabbits and cats to goats and horses. There was always a warm welcome for visitors to Mary Wood's home. She was a great cook who loved to collect and try out new recipes. Family members, friends and Habitat for Humanity crews were all well-acquainted with her fabulous culinary skills. Gardening was one of Mary Wood's most beloved hobbies and she devoted years to designing and maintaining beautiful flower beds that not only brightened her home, but all of Sunnyview. She also spent many summer hours in the vegetable garden weeding, harvesting, and canning to feed her family of six. Other pastimes she enjoyed were traveling and camping with her family, traveling abroad with Leon, reading, creating craft projects, and attending concerts and plays at SDSU. Family came first for Mary Wood, and she treasured family gatherings where she could spend time with her children and three grandchildren. Mary Wood was an active member of First United Methodist Church for nearly 60 years. She enjoyed participating in women's circle events, serving as church librarian, and attending SOUL (Seniors Offering Unlimited Love) potlucks. She supported several charitable organizations, including American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the First United Methodist Church Solar Oven Project, and Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity. Survivors include her daughters, Peggy Bush of Brookings and Patricia Bush of Mitchell, South Dakota; her sons, David Bush of Loveland, Colorado, and John (Connie) Bush of Mitchell; three grandchildren, Ashley Wakeman, Justin (Soyeon) Bush, and Kelsey Bush. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leon, and her mother and father. Memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Brookings, the FUMC Solar Oven Project, or Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity.