Mary L. Boyer

Mary L. Boyer, 73,  passed away peacefully on May 4, 2023 at Miller Pointe, surrounded by family.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, May 10 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck.

Mary had an indelible love for puppies and wine. We invite you to celebrate Mary  during a time of remembrance from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Tuesday, May 9 at General Sibley Park, 5001 S. Washington St., Bismarck. The Pavilion Shelter…Bring your puppies, enjoy a glass of wine and treasured memories.

Mary was born January 15, 1950 to Paul and Evelyn (Hellman) Braun in Mandan, ND. She attended grade school in Mandan, then junior high and high school in Billings, MT.

Mary enjoyed exploring her talents at various careers throughout her life. She owned a bar in Denver, CO, and a jewelry store in Mandan with her husband, Dave Boyer. With her outgoing and friendly personality, she was a natural at the various sales roles she enjoyed.  She also owned and operated a coffee roasting business, Prairie Coffee Roaster, in Bismarck for many years. Each of these endeavors brought more people into Mary’s ever growing circle of good friends. 

One of Mary’s greatest joys was spending time with her son Lance, his wife Laurie, and her grandchildren Grace, Ava, and Kaden. She would often proudly share how much she enjoyed watching them grow into beautiful, intelligent, and caring people.

After she retired, Mary spent her time hanging out with her many friends. She enjoyed playing bingo, going to the casino, and shopping in thrift stores.  She always found the best bargains. She also found joy and purpose while volunteering with the Adopt-A-Block organization, helping to distribute food to those in need.

Many summer weekends were spent with her brother and sister-in-law down at “the compound”.  She had her own camper set up with a large deck where you could often find her enjoying sips of morning coffee. When her niece was visiting too, you could hear them greeting each other with a holler from the patios “Good morning, Auntie Mary!”, the usual “Hi my little Lizzie” response, followed up by “I’ll be right over”. 

Evenings were spent around a campfire with Joe, Deb, and the many friends and family that would join them. There was always great conversation, many bottles of wine, and a few trivia games.

Mary faced her cancer battle with grace and dignity. She was not happy about it and expressed many times that she didn’t want to hear any “boo hooing”.  Her greatest frustration was how fast it took away her ability to do the things she enjoyed with her friends. It was that same group of amazing friends that lifted her up with their love, prayers, and blessings that made her final journey more bearable.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Evelyn Braun, as well as her brothers, Donny, Wayne, and Jeff.

Surviving Mary is her son, Lance (Laurie) Boyer, and their children, Grace, Ava, and Kaden; stepchildren Andy Thompson and Kelly (Courtney) Schauer; step grandchildren Madison, Cash, Kale, Brady, and Lily; brother, Joe (Deb) Braun; niece, Liz Johnson; nephews, Matthew (Jennifer) Braun, and Weston Braun; great-nieces Taylor, Tyanna, and Elin, and great-nephews Tanner, Boden, and Joseph.

Mary left her own unique mark on the world. She believed in the best in everyone and made friends wherever she went! We will treasure her in our hearts forever.

As Mary would say, it’s not goodbye it’s “See ya later!”