Mary talks about her early childhood in Kansas as one of nine children and her family's move to Colorado upon the death of her father. Mary details the train and its passengers during the move, including Russian immigrants coming to work the beet fields, and her mother's outreach. She mentions her mothers career training riding horses as a way to support the family. She talks about her relationships, children, and the struggle she faced trying to support them. She describes the Great Depression era and how much materials cost, programs available to the needy, federal assistance and loans, and how the Grand Valley ranchers would support families affected by the Dust Bowl. She covers various other topics, including gardening, water rights, recipes, tools, ranching, homesteading, the uranium boom, local history, and land uses. The Interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa county Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
