Spend a little time in Mary Beth Wolfer’s room at Renaissance Marquis, and you’ll quickly notice the books. Two shelves are packed full, which makes perfect sense once you know how much she loves to read. Mary Beth is almost always making her way through a story. She has also collected quite a story of her own, one filled with a Minnesota childhood, nearly 40 years of marriage, a growing family, beloved pets and a faith that has called her to serve others.

Her story began during a fierce blizzard in Moorhead, Minnesota, on November 18, 1952. While snow swirled outside, Mary Beth entered the world and received the name her mother had chosen for her. She grew up in Moorhead with two sisters and one brother, in a home about half a mile from the Red River.

Living that close to the river meant watching it carefully when winter gave way to spring. Mary Beth remembers it flooding nearly every year, a familiar rhythm of childhood in a place where melting snow and rising water could reshape the view from one season to the next.

Mary Beth attended Washington Elementary School and North Junior High before graduating from Moorhead High School in 1970. After graduation, she worked for a few months at Big Boy, a fast-food restaurant, then took a job at Kinney Shoe Store.

It turned out to be a life-changing decision.

At Kinney, Mary Beth met Jerry Wolfer. A job selling shoes became the setting for the beginning of their life together. They fell in love and married on September 22, 1973, then spent nearly four decades building a home and raising their four children, Wendy, Laura, Wesley and Dixie.

As the years passed, the family continued to grow. Mary Beth is now the proud grandmother of 12, and another generation is about to begin with her first great-grandchild on the way. The family she and Jerry started all those years ago has grown far beyond the two of them.

Mary Beth and Jerry shared almost 40 years of marriage before he developed lung cancer. Jerry passed away in 2013, and his loss left Mary Beth heartbroken. The life they made together remains all around her, though, especially in the children they raised, the grandchildren who followed and the memories gathered across their many years as husband and wife.

Books have always brought Mary Beth joy, as those crowded shelves make clear. She reads consistently and seems happiest when there is another story within reach. Yet books are only one of the things she loves. Animals have also been dear to her throughout her life. She has shared her home with many dogs, cats and bunnies over the years, and she still hopes to have another cat someday.

That love of animals made one Renaissance Marquis activity especially memorable. Mary Beth enjoys the singers and dancers who visit the community, but ask her to name her favorite activity and there is no hesitation: the Petting Zoo. For someone who has loved animals all her life, the chance to spend time with so many of them was hard to beat. She thought it was amazing.

Faith has been another constant in Mary Beth’s life. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she has given years of her time and care to her church community. She served in leadership roles within the children’s and young women’s organizations and taught several Sunday School classes. Whether she was guiding children, encouraging young women or helping others study their faith, Mary Beth found meaningful ways to serve.

Mary Beth has called Renaissance Marquis home for nearly two years and will celebrate her second anniversary with the community in November. During that time, she has become more than a participant in community life. She now serves as secretary of the Resident Council, a role that gives her the opportunity to listen, contribute and help represent her fellow residents. She enjoys the meetings and especially appreciates working with Resident Council President Ron Wright.



Today, Mary Beth continues to fill her days with the things she values most: family, faith, animals, good books and meaningful connections with the people around her. With two bookshelves full of stories and a life rich with stories of her own, she remains a cherished part of the Renaissance Marquis community. We are grateful she has chosen to share some of those stories with us.