Mary Jordan Carlson

Mary Jordan Carlson, 90, formerly of Prospect Heights, and Glenview, IL passed away at Neuvant House in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary, daughter of Leslie and Ruth Jordan; born December 29, 1925 in rural Bristow, OK; skipped a grade in Junior high school; completed high school in three years as valedictorian; graduated at age 20 with a BS in Home Economics with emphasis in Foods and Nutrition at the University of Arkansas in 1946; and a MS in Nutrition with a Minor in Journalism from Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, PA in 1957.
Mary’s life had a consistent focus. She was a champion of women in education, independence, equal rights and leadership; a pioneer with excellence and an insatiable appetite to experience different cultures around the world. At age 10, Mary survived the worst dust storm recorded, known as Black Sunday of April 14, 1935; she was less than 150 miles from the epicenter; three years later her father died as a cotton farmer at which time her mother moved the whole house to Cordell, OK and supported the family of two girls as a telephone operator and a nurse to the only doctor in town. Although Mrs. Jordon never learned to drive; she was known to make trips to the grocery store courtesy of the local police.
Mary held high expectations for herself and reached beyond the normal boundaries at an early age. One month out of college, Mary was a student dietician for Marshall Field’s Food Service in Chicago, Illinois; within 6 months she was promoted to Food Cafeteria Supervisor. Two years later she exponentially expanded her horizons as a Home Economics Teacher for a Private Girls School in Montevideo, Uruguay, South America with the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church. Her diary at this time reveals her strong character, social and professional persona and her first witness to third-world nutrition deprivation. After experiencing a primitive culture for two and ½ years, Mary returned to the United States to Manage the Neiman Marcus Tea Room of Dallas, Texas. She was associated for at least 10 years with the National Live Stock and Meat Board in several capacities including conducting 3-day Cooking Schools (up to 2000 people) all over the Nation. At this time Mary was treated like a celebrity with paparazzi at every town and even promoting Buicks in full-page newspaper ads.
For 6 years Mary was a Nutrition lecturer to college Nursing programs where her students commented that she “made nutrition fun”! 10 years teaching dietetics to Chicago hospitals; an editor of several professional publications and a freelance food consultant and nutritionist. Mary Carlson co-authored two cookbooks; one a groundbreaking food service professional cookbook in collaboration with the Campbell Soup Company and another called “Living the Good Life Microwave Recipe Book” which is still available on Amazon.com. Mary’s active, long term affiliation with Professional Associations was extensive and littered with awards, chairman of many committees and Presidencies. American Dietetic Association, Past District and State Officer, Member of ADA House of Delegates. American Home Economics Association past Illinois district and state officer, past President of the Chicago Nutrition Association, past State President of American Association of University Women in the year of the AAUW 75th Year Celebration Convention. Mary had over 40 years of active membership of AAUW in which she started several number of chapters in Illinois and also received the distinction of AAUW Woman of the Year Award. Mary was also very active with the United Methodist Church Women’s Society and held offices at the local, district and conference levels.
Additionally, Mary finished a respectable 5th out of 16 to represent the 3rd Senatorial District in 1969 to re-write the Illinois Constitution. The Governor appointed her initially to sit on the Illinois Committee for a Constitutional Convention and was also a member of the Illinois Advisory Committee on Education.
Mary married Elmer V. Carlson on October 13, 1956, in Ardmore, Pennsylvania and resided for many years in Prospect Heights, Illinois. She was preceded in death by her husband in 2003, also her parents, sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Howard Gilmer and niece, Leslie, Hot Spring, AR, and brothers-in-law, Frank J. Carlson, Euless, TX, and Kenneth L. Wheeler, Plymouth, MI.
Mary and Elmer were extensive world-wide travelers throughout their married life to many developing countries; where she witnessed the “ill-fated lives of children as a result of malnutrition” which fueled her passion to establish the American Association of University Women Mary Jordan Carlson International Fellowship in 2000 that inspires girls to make a difference in their own countries by providing them the opportunity to come and study in the United States.
Survivors include sisters/brothers-in-law, Evelyn Carlson (Robert) Senecal, of Lawrence, KS; Edna Carlson Wilson of Cohoctah, MI; Agnes Carlson Wheeler of Plymouth, MI; 13 nieces and nephews and 31 great nieces and nephews. Mary surely be missed, but not forgotten, as we know by her strong faith in God, that she is exploring the expansive universe of heaven; ready to greet us for when we will meet her there.
Memorials may be made in her memory to Hillsdale College, the Heritage Foundation, the American Association of University Women or the United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights, Illinois and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary.