Mary Woodlee

Mary Woodlee died on July 29, at Artesia General Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, at St. Pauls Episcopal Church. Fr. Herb Robbins will officiate at the services. Interment will follow at Woodbine Cemetery. Mary Woodlee was born March 12, 1915, in Long Island, N.Y. to Paula Augusta von Baldamus Becker Muses and Maurice Joseph Muses. She came to Artesia on Oct. 1, 1954 on a newspaper assignment, and married Dr. James K. Woodlee on Dec. 19, 1954. They bought and renovated the old Episcopal Church at 307 S. 7th St. and made it their home until the present. Her husband preceded her in death on June 20, 1996. She received the B.A. degree from Hunter College, New York City where she wrote advertising copy, moving on to an advertising firm in Dallas, Texas. Here she wrote a one hour weekly show for KRLD, and a half hour show for WWRR, and working on fashion shows on a free-lance basis for Neiman Marcus, and doing some modeling. Moving to Albuquerque, she wrote for KOB. She was feature writer and editor of the music-art section of the Albuquerque Journal where she was awarded the Schaeffer Award for feature writing, and received several awards from the New Mexico State Poetry Society and The Panhandle Professional Writers. After marriage, she was active in the Artesia civic organizations, among them, the Girls Scouts as a scout leader, and writereditor of the district newsletter. As a charter member of the Artesia Arts Council, she was one of the early presidents, she was president of the Library Board, Community Concert officer, and fashion show coordinator and narrator for several community organizations. As a writer, published articles and poetry. When the College of Artesia was founded, she earned the MA degree from the University of New Mexico, and taught English and creative writing for the English Department. When the College was closed, she taught for the New Mexico State University at Carlsbad. After retirement, she studied painting with Bettynelle Bolton of Artesia, and Beverly Carpenter of the Roswell Museum. Her work has been shown locally. She was a member of St. Pauls Episcopal Church and the P.E.O. sisterhood. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Estelle Muses, and a brother Dr. Charles Muses. There are no survivors. Memorials contributions may be made to St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Artesia.