Mary Wheeler Weeks, 94, of West Lafayette, passed away January 21, 2024, at Westminster Village in West Lafayette.  A memorial service will be held Saturday March 2, 2024, at 1:30pm, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 600 Ferry St., Lafayette, IN 47901.

On Oct. 20, 1929, in Lansing, Michigan, Mary was born the seventh of eight children to the late Percy Harold and Gertrude Mary (Holdaway) Wheeler.  She was named Mary Shirley Wheeler, but most of the family called her Molly, and to this day she remains Aunt Molly to her nieces and nephews. In the 1930’s, the family moved to a large house with farm outbuildings and acreage on Dobie Road in Okemos, Michigan, down the road from the County Home. Later they moved back into East Lansing to 208 Oxford Road.

Mary graduated from East Lansing High School, then attended Michigan State University. In December 1951, she married her physics teacher Walter Leroy Weeks, and they began a journey that included stops in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Champaign, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas — with children born at each stop:  Patricia Constance, Walter William, Daniel Lochner, Sheryl Beth, Joseph Frank Victor, and Mary Kathryn. In Champaign, Illinois, Mary completed the course requirements for her Michigan State University Bachelor of Arts Degree, awarded August 23, 1957, some 7 months after the birth of her fourth child.

The family arrived at Purdue University in West Lafayette in time for the fall term, 1963. Mary actively supported the many extra-curricular school activities of her children during their years in the West Lafayette school system, especially sports and music. Many of her children’s friends found a second home in her household, and triple batches of oatmeal cookies were often made to offer to anyone who dropped by.

Mary also sparked and encouraged her children’s interest in nature, with many visits to parks, canoeing, fishing, marksmanship and archery. She encouraged them to learn about Native Americans and history, with trips to historical sites, artifact sites, and events such as the Tortugas ceremonies in New Mexico.  She showed them by example her ideals of honor and integrity, and to respect character rather than position or power.

She was fiercely independent throughout her life, and continuously interested in civil and social issues. She once listed her hobbies as “Environmental and Social Concerns.” She enjoyed good discussions and reading (especially with the Ag-Econ wives’ book group and with Pete), but also hiking, drawing, painting, calligraphy, and woodworking.  She taught most of her children and grandchildren to play cribbage, and cribbage tournaments were often part of family gatherings.

Mary and two friends, Ginny Bullis and Martha Dietrich, started a painting and wallpapering business together in the late 1960’s.  Eventually Ginny and Martha went on to do other things, but Mary continued the business until she reached 80 years of age, sometimes hiring her kids, grandkids and their friends to help. She worked for many folks in town, and they often greeted her in the grocery store or at events, remembering not only the quality work she did, but her intellect, her interest in a wide range of subjects, and her willingness to engage in conversation.  Mary was an active parishioner at St. John’s Episcopal Church for many years, and several remember her painting and wallpapering for them.

Much later in life, on October 22, 2010, she married Thomas R. “Pete” Palfrey Jr. in West Lafayette; he has been a blessing to her beyond words, beyond their wide-ranging discussions, daily cribbage games after lunch and Pete teaching her to identify birds at the 208 Lindberg backyard feeder and on their walks together.  They often explored and walked daily. One of their first walks was in Happy Hollow Park, from the Indian Trail entrance to the Salisbury entrance, up and down those steep paths, long before the wooden hand-railed steps were installed – after Mary had finished a full day of painting and wallpapering. They volunteered together at NICHES Moyer-Gould Woods, removing fences. They traveled to several of Indiana’s State Parks, including Turkey Run, The Shades, Spring Mill and McCormick’s Creek. They especially enjoyed hiking at The Shades with Tom and Cheryl, enjoying a glass of wine at a nearby lodging while Tom grilled steaks.  Favorite local walks included Celery Bog Nature Area, Cumberland Woods, Happy Hollow Park, Prophet’s Rock Woods and Prophetstown State Park, where they often enjoyed picnics. The Farm at Prophetstown – with its variety of farm animals – was always a favorite, whether by themselves or with the kids and grandkids.

In addition to her husband, Pete; she is survived by her Weeks children, Patty (Doug) Jones; Bill (Mary Latham); Dan (Jan Fassler); Sherry (Dennis) McGrath; Joe (Jane Connor); and Katy (Cam) Miller; her Palfrey step-children Sue (Mark Boykin), Tom (Cheryl), and Steve (Teresa McRoberts); fourteen grandchildren and their spouses, five step-grandchildren and their spouses, five great-grandchildren, and many special nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mary’s name to the charity of your choice.  Suggestions include West Lafayette Tree Friends, West Lafayette Parks and Recreation, NICHES Land Trust, The Farm at Prophetstown, Prophetstown State Park or other Indiana State Parks through friends organizations such as “Friends of Turkey Run and Shades State Parks” or the Indiana Parks Alliance.