Wendland, Mary: - Mary and Edward were married for almost 50 years. During those years, they bought several farms, had five children, and lived out their dreams. When the children were grown, Mary went to work at a florist where she loved delivering to people and meeting new faces. She wrote not only of her childhood, but also her adult life and happenings in the forms of short stories and poetry, which have been compiled into one book called The Ever-Circle of Seasons. Being once a child with no advocate herself, her desire to help others who could not speak for themselves grew as she grew older. Within her writing, her value of and kindness toward those society sometimes calls "the helpless" (the elderly, special needs, children, etc.), especially, teaches true compassion and the value of all life. Those who knew Mary agree that she had a quiet sense of humor, a deep faith that guided her actions, and open arms for anyone who needed help. After Mary began writing as an adult, she became a founding member of the Watertown, WI, writer's group "Writers on the Rock." Her poem "Floodgate" won the first place Jade Ring Award for poetry at the Wisconsin Regional State Writers Association in 1998.Mary passed away in May of 2003, and Edward has since finished her writings as a memorial to her life and to give others the ability to learn from her life and words.