A Surprise Bequest Leaves Us Wishing We Had Known Mary

"Mary was a career woman before that term was invented," according to Mary Fiterman's long-time friend, Kris Erickson. Mary started working as a secretary in the Hennepin County Attorney's office at age 18. She soon became irreplaceable, the person everyone turned to when they had questions. She spent her entire career at the County Attorney's office, eventually retiring as the chief administrator in the 1970s.

Mary found love later in life when she married Mark Fiterman. Together they traveled extensively, enjoyed the many museums and theaters in the Twin Cities, and built strong, lasting friendships. Having no children, Mary was a loyal friend to many people and treated them like family; it was said that she truly "tended her friendships."

Mary was also a loyal supporter of many nonprofit organizations, including the Animal Humane Society. She gave a donation to help animals in our community every year. "She never had any pets of her own, but she always loved animals and wanted to make sure they were cared for," says Kris.

After Mary passed away earlier this year, the Animal Humane Society was surprised and grateful to have been included as one of her main beneficiaries, with a substantial bequest to establish an endowment. She kept her intentions quiet while she was alive, not wanting any publicity or fuss. Kris remembers that Mary "trusted the organization to be good stewards of her donation, knowing that it would go toward meeting the most pressing needs of the animals."

We are very thankful for Mary's generous gift to the Animal Humane Society and for her faith in us. We only wish we could have thanked her in person to show her the many ways she will help animals for generations to come.