Mary Elizabeth Matthews Solie was born March 21, 1918 on a farm near Peru, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Homer L. Matthews, Jr. and Clara Hosterman Matthews. Mary attended one room country school London District 66 and Peru Training High School. She graduated from Peru State College in 1939 with a Bachelors Degree in Education. Mary then taught school in Taylor, Nebraska. During the summer months she worked with the 4-H Club. She also attended Iowa State University for one year.
In 1943 she was employed by the Special Service of the U.S. Army at Rosecrans Field at St. Joseph, Missouri. It was here that she met Lt. Bruce L. Solie. They were married February 22, 1944 in Marion, Arkansas. The newlyweds lived in Memphis, Tennessee and Homestead, Florida until Bruce was stationed overseas. While he was serving overseas, Mary worked for United Airlines. At the conclusion of WW II, Mary and Bruce moved to Badger Village, Wisconsin where he attended the University of Wisconsin.
In 1951 they relocated to the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. where Bruce began a career with the CIA until his retirement in 1979. Mary was active in the schools where her children attended and at Viers Mill Baptist Church. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Brownie Scout Leader. She worked in Jobs Daughters and was Worthy Matron of Montgomery Chapter Order of the Eastern Star. Genealogy was a lifelong interest. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution serving her Maryland chapter as Regent and the State Society as State Chaplain. She belonged to the Daughters of the War of 1812, and Colonial Dames of Seventeenth Century. She took pride in her membership in the Daughters of Founders and Patriots. After the death of her husband, Mary moved home to their farm near Brownville, Nebraska in 1995.
She belonged to the Brownville Historical Society, serving on the board and volunteering at the museum. Mary also served as Regent of Otoe Chapter of DAR. She was a member of the O.E.S. Brownville Chapter #263. She attended the Peru Community Church and Bethel Community Church.
Mary passed away Saturday, March 7, 2009. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband and infant sister. Mary is survived by son John Solie and daughter-in-law Lou, daughter Susan Solie Wachtler and son-in-law Frederick, daughter Nancy Solie and son-in-law Paul Logue, five grandchildren, Amanda Stone, Deborah Solie, Stephen Wachtler, Clara Logue, and Bruce Logue, three great-grandsons, sister Louise Shires and many nieces and nephews.
Mary was with us for almost 91 years. She will be missed by her family and friends.