Steamboat Springs, CO - Mary Jean King Perry passed away peacefully surrounded by family the evening of February 20th, 2015 in her room at The Doak Walker House, Casey's Pond. Mary Jean was born June 27, 1926 in Tooele, Utah. Her parents relocated home to Steamboat Springs when she was a girl. She was a member of one of the Pioneer Families of Routt County. Her great-grandfather was one of the first settlers in Routt County, with King Mountain in Egeria Park named after her family. Mary Jean was a graduate of Steamboat Springs High School and attended DU before returning to Routt County where she met and married a local rancher, Junior Franklin Perry. They had two sons - Chuck and Bill. She was the family matriarch and an incredible example of selfless community service to everyone she came into contact with. Mary Jean was loved by many and will be greatly missed. Below is a description of the community service roles and contributions she made to Routt County and Colorado, this place she so loved. Mary Jean was a ranch wife and a librarian. She began teaching in 1944 at the Toponas Rural School where she taught grades 1 through 4. She later taught at the McCoy Rural School and after that was a substitute teacher at Yampa Elementary. She served on the Soroco School Board from about 1968 to 1975. Mary Jean, along with others, was instrumental in the campaign to successfully enlarge the Colorado Mountain College district, an act which enabled all Routt and Moffat County residents to pay lower tuition fees. She was a Den Mother for Cub Scouts and a Leader along with Ramona Kirby and Kay Kayser for the Egeria Creek 4-H Club in which her sons participated. She was a member of the Ladies Aid Organization in Yampa, CO and of The Toponas Home Demonstration Club. This club was very active, donating funds to the construction of the first hospital in Steamboat Springs as well as supporting many other charitable causes in Routt County. Mary Jean and her husband took in two brothers for a year in 1972 when their father died in a car accident. They hosted foreign exchange students from many different countries between 1971 and 1981 through the "Experiment in International Living" program. Annabeth Lockhart was instrumental in getting Mary Jean involved. The whole family thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these young people from different parts of the world. Some of the countries young people visited from to experience life on a ranch in Toponas, CO, include: Japan, Denmark, Brazil, Switzerland, Italy, Nigeria and France. Mary Jean served on the Yampa Valley Electric Association Board of Directors from about 1976 until 2006. During that time, she held the positions of Secretary and President and was the Representative of YVEA to the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Mary Jean received the Leckenby Award in 2008 at a ceremony in Steamboat Springs, which was reported in the Steamboat Pilot. Jim Stanko said, "Her greatest contribution might have been her determined work on behalf of rural electrification, an effort that spanned three decades". Mary Jean was a member of Women's Union at the Yampa Bible Church in Yampa, CO, and helped with many charitable projects, including providing boxes of goodies for the elderly and local service members who were away from home during the holidays, and providing food for funeral dinners. She usually donated beef from her family ranch for the dinners. She was a Stonecroft Missions Bible Study Leader for over 20 years and served on the South Routt Medical Advisory Board. She was a past Matron of the Eastern Star Chapter in Yampa. Mary Jean was a member of the Board of Directors for the South Routt Cemetery District and served as Secretary for part of her tenure. She participated as a Board Member and Secretary/Treasurer for Routt County Farm Bureau. Mary Jean started the Toponas Public Library in 1978 with a rural library grant. It later became part of the South Routt Library District, then a private library until its closing when she was no longer able to maintain it. She served on the South Routt Library Board and as librarian of the Yampa Public Library. Mary Jean was an election judge at Toponas for over 40 years, a lifelong Republican and had fond memories of campaigning with her friend Annabeth Lockhart for President Ronald Reagan in the 80s. Mary Jean served on a Bureau of Land Management Advisory Board in Routt County regarding the Visintainer/King Mountain Transfer. Mary Jean was a long-time member of the Toponas Community Club (TCC) serving as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President, and President twice. The TCC held a special place in her heart. Mary Jean donated historical family items to the Tread of Pioneers Museum when her parents, William Preston King and Jean Isabella Charbonnel King passed away and also when her Uncle Elmer King passed away. A photo of her grandparents, Preston and Mary King, is currently on display. She was a member of the South Routt Historical Society started by Lewis Phillips years ago. In 2011, Mary Jean was Grand Marshall of the 4th of July parade in Yampa, CO and was accompanied by her family. A private interment was held at Yampa Cemetery on February 28th. Passing before her were her parents and husband, Junior Perry. Mary Jean is survived by her sister, Joy Vogel of Northglenn, CO; brother, Bill King of Cheyenne, WY; son, Chuck Perry and his wife Dorothy of Toponas, CO; son Bill Perry and his wife Jeanne of Greeley, CO; 4 granddaughters and 7 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 7th, 2015, at The Yampa Bible Church, 341 Moffat Avenue, Yampa, CO with her nephew, Rev. Robert Vogel, officiating. The family invites you to join them for a fellowship reception at The Yampa Elementary School immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mary Jean's memory to one of the following: South Routt Library District's Summer Reading Program, Historic Routt County, or the Alzheimer's Association Colorado Chapter. Online condolences may be expressed at www.yampavalleyfh.com.