Mary Elizabeth Koles

Mary Elizabeth Koles, née George, 82, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away on Monday, September 29, 2025, following a lengthy illness.

Born on September 17, 1943, in Wichita, Kansas, Mary was the daughter of Lois Elizabeth George and Miles Wiley George. She graduated from Wichita High School East in 1961. She went on to Kansas State University, earning a degree in History and joining Tri Delta. In the mid 1960s, she pursued graduate studies in Southern California and received a master’s in History from Claremont McKenna. She returned to Kansas to pursue a PhD in U.S. history at Kansas State University. While at Kansas State University, she met her lifelong friend Nancy Douglas Atkinson, now of the Seattle area. The two could trade stories about Maple Grove Cemetery, where Mary’s father worked, that would make any historian laugh.

While at Kansas State she met her husband, Gerdas Kurt Koles, who was also pursuing a PhD in history with a focus on monetary history. They married in 1971, and together decided to set aside their doctoral work soon thereafter. Mary devoted her talents to special education, a calling that is not for the faint of heart. She built deep bonds with her students, the kind that last for decades and continue even today.

In the 1970s through part of the 1980s, Mary taught special education in Topeka. After her son, Alexander, was born in 1982, she devoted herself to being a full-time mother, while she and her husband owned and operated Dunkin Donuts stores in northeast Kansas. In the 2000s, she worked part time as an office administrator in the Kansas House of Representatives, where she formed a strong bond with Tom Sloan, who served the 45th District.

Mary’s personal gifts defined her. She was a Master Gardener who mastered the art of selecting, planting, and tending to landscapes that still flourish today. Decades ago, as she worked tirelessly in the yard, she told her son that one day she might not be able to do this work, so she wanted everything planted to be ready for her to enjoy. She always planned ahead. The gardens reflect her long term foresight, persistence, and joy.

A proud member of P.E.O. in Topeka, Mary treasured the Sisterhood. Even when attendance became difficult over the last 10 to 15 years, the organization remained close to her heart. She even tapped its network while traveling, once arranging housing during New York college tours with her son in 2000.

Mary was an exceptional listener. She had a sharp eye for writing and grammar and brought an almost comically precise level of detail to everyday life. Her loyalty to her immediate family never wavered. Determined like her mother, she once drove a car from Topeka to San Francisco in August 2004 to save her son money. He had already bought a new car and neglected to mention it. The story still raises eyebrows and smiles, and it captures Mary’s grit, generosity, and sense of purpose.

Mary is survived by her husband, Gerdas Kurt Koles, 83, of Topeka, retired. She is also survived by her son, Alexander Koles, 43, of New York, New York, an investment banker. Additional survivors include her brother, Hal George, 71, Chairman of Maple Grove Cemetery (a historic nonprofit, no discriminating cemetery), along with four nephews across the United States.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, 1:00 - 2:00pm CT at Our Saviors Lutheran Church.

Funeral services will follow on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 2:00pm CT at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, 2021 SW 29th St, Topeka, KS 66611.