A Tribute to Mary M. Newmann
We were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of one of our Board members, Mary M. Newmann, who died of cancer this summer. Her tenure on the Primary Source Board was all too short, but her presence and participation will long be remembered by all who had the pleasure of working closely with her.
While soft-spoken and mild-mannered in temperament, Mary had strong convictions, which she communicated clearly, sensitively and with certitude. She provided invaluable counsel in connection with fundraising, organizational development, and policy. She worked tirelessly to introduce Primary Source to those yet unaware of Primary Source's mission and spoke eloquently about our determination to see that K-12 students were well educated in world histories, cultures, and global issues. "Mary exuded kindness and support and carried with her an unwavering commitment to improving education for all students," said Executive Director Julia de la Torre. "Her passion for Primary Source's mission was clear to all who knew and worked with her. She will be sorely missed."
In our last meetings with Mary, she remained remarkably positive, looked to the future with optimism and continued to give of herself. She never stopped being abundant with her time, indicating over and over that what was important to her was that she make a difference to the organization. That she did. Her thoughtful consideration of others and gentle nature serve as a model for all of us. We will miss her.
