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Mary was sweet, caring, intelligent, fun-loving, sharp-tongued (in a good way), stubborn and fiercely independent.

Mary Alice Ford, 64, of Custer, WI, passed away peacefully among family and friends on Wednesday, July 29, following a month-long illness.

She was born to James Edward and Alice Mary (Fleming) Oates on July 18, 1962 in Appleton, the fourth of five children. She graduated from Appleton Xavier High School in 1980 and UW-Stevens Point in 1985.

Mary is survived by her loving siblings, Jim (Kris) Oates of Greenville, Tom (Kathy) Oates of Madison, Sue (Jim) Friebel of Pulaski and Tim (Sue) Oates of Appleton, nephew J.D. (Keri) Friebel and their children Chase and Allie of Pulaski, nephew Alex (fiancée Brittany Jansen) Oates of Cottage Grove, many other relatives and too many friends to count. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kevin Ford and her fiancée Gene Walczak.

Mary was sweet, caring, intelligent, fun-loving, sharp-tongued (in a good way), stubborn and fiercely independent. She liked boating, snowmobiling, movies, Jimmy Buffett concerts, any Tom Petty song, Packers games in a limo and all animals. She owned horses in her youth and many dogs and cats as an adult.

Though small in stature, Mary bravely endured hardships few people ever face, losing Kevin in a car accident in 1995 and Gene in a car accident in 2022. She began her career at Sentry Insurance, owned and operated The Friendly Bar following Kevin's death and finished up at Full Service Insurance Agency, which she loved because cats roamed the office.

Mary made friends easily and held onto them for life, including her longest-standing friends from St. Mary's Grade School and Xavier High School, her college friends from UWSP, the lunch bunch from Sentry, the Ford family, the Walczak family and her neighbors in Custer.

Funeral Services for Mary will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at Pisarski Funeral Home, 703 Second Street, Stevens Point, with the visitation from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM followed by a short service. Afterward, there will be a get-together in Stevens Point (details to be announced at the service). A private burial will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage memorials in Mary's name to the Humane Society of Portage County. Pisarski Funeral Homes are honored to be serving the family. For online condolences please visit www.pisarskifuneralhome.com