Mary Demeter Thurrell passed away peacefully at home on June 20th, 2026, at the age of 95. She was born on September 20th, 1930, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Dr. Nicholas Demeter and Elpenike Trahadias. For 54 years, Mary was married to Dr. Richard Thurrell—whom she affectionately called her “best friend, cheerleader, and husband”—until his passing in 2012.

She is survived by her three daughters, Malin Victoria LaLonde, Lisa Andrea Thurrell, and Ede Evelyn Thurrell, whom she affectionately called "the three graces.” Her immediate family also includes her sons-in-law, John LaLonde, Robert Edward Cleary, and Taro Baugham; her grandchildren Zoe, Sofi, and Max LaLonde; and grand doggies Reka, George, and Ozero, who all brought her much love, joy, and laughter with bad jokes, good jokes, yips, and barks.

Mary had many more important people in her life: her siblings Lela Demeter, Constance Caranasos, and James Demeter; stepmother Dena Demeter; brother-in-law George Caranasos; and many friends including Helen & Tony Russos, Marjorie C. Barnett, Aristotle & Jenny Alexander, William & Vicky Knoedler, and Valerie & Andreas Kazamias. Her marriage to Richard brought more beloved family into her life, including brother-in-law Roger Thurrell and his family; Cynthia & Bob Kelly; David & Kitsy Olson, Nancy Olson Livingston, and Evelyn Bergstrom Olson; Ethel “Tootsie” & Erwin “Dutch” Keithley; Bill & Rosalind Bergstrom, Peter & Cathy Bergstrom, and Billy Bergstrom; and so many more.

Mary was a dynamic, beautiful, intelligent, and creative person. Growing up in Milwaukee, she spent hours exploring the art museum near her father’s medical office. She cherished her childhood summers in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she spent months with her mother, sister, and extended Greek family. Being from immigrant families, the parents would reminisce about life back in the homeland (the Island of Samos, Greece) while the children played. Through these summers, she developed deep roots with her cousins, Tony and Jerry Galanis, the Axiotis and Kallas families, and her lifelong friend, Peggy Kallas.

Mary and Richard Thurrell first crossed paths at Washington High in Milwaukee, where Mary served as Dick’s editor on the school newspaper. They renewed their acquaintance while attending college at UW–Madison and were married on November 22, 1958, at the First Unitarian Society in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mary earned her degree in art, art history, and education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, followed by graduate work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She served on the art faculty at the State University of New York at Binghamton, UW–Madison, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and was also an art history faculty member at Beloit College.

As an accomplished painter and printmaker, Mary won numerous awards at arts salons and UW events. She worked and studied under local UW Professor James Watrous and helped craft his “Freedom of Communication” mosaic that originally hung at Vilas Hall, now in storage at the UW. She was also instrumental in the creation of the beloved Madison Art Fair on the Square.

Ever committed to local art accessibility, Mary taught hundreds of children and adults through the UW–Madison Extension program, 4-H, and the Wisconsin Regional Arts Program (WRAP) under James Schwalbach. She created arts education curriculums such as "Art in a Box" for WRAP and 4-H, alongside leadership instructional manuals, activity books, and leaders’ guides statewide. She judged arts and crafts exhibits at county fairs all over the state, always hoping to empower rural women and youth to see their own work as “legitimate” instead of merely a hobby.

When she wasn't driving her children to their many after-school activities, teaching, serving on her numerous community boards, poring over cookbooks, or tending to her lily-filled garden, she still found time to sketch, make prints, create enamel works, and paint amazing works of art.

Mary served for decades as a treasured and award-winning volunteer for multiple local and county arts organizations, including the Dane County Cultural Arts Board, Madison Art Association, Dane County Fair Board, Dane County 4-H Leaders Council, MSCR Advisory Board, Youth Resource Network, MMSD Task Force, Hancock Center for Movement Therapies, Children’s Theater of Madison, Wisconsin Dance Council, and Kanopy Dance.

Mary also worked as a part-time administrator for both Children’s Theater of Madison and Kanopy Dance and was a scenic designer and artist for CTM. She was a multi-decade supporter of the Elvehjem Museum of Art (now the Chazen Art Museum), Kanopy Dance, Olbrich Botanical Society (to create community gardens), and the Madison Public Library Foundation.

Her dear friends & caregivers in later years included Eric Farness, Mary Brackey, Galia Morales, and Athena, Marie, Brenda, Cathy, Ketziah, Sonji, and others from Brightstar Homecare.

A private celebration of Mary’s vibrant life will be held with family and friends at her home. In honor of her 30 years of devotion to Kanopy Dance as a board member, volunteer, and major donor, memorial gifts may be made in her memory at kanopydance.org in lieu of flowers.

Please share your memories below in the online guestbook.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road Madison

(608) 238-3434