Mary Beth Sundby

Mary Beth Sundby, 52, of Bismarck, died October 2, 2010 at the St. Vincent's Care Center from complications of multiple sclerosis. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 8, 2010 at the Parkway Funeral Home in Bismarck at 2330 Tyler Parkway. Visitation will begin one hour prior to services. The family requests no fragrances at the services: perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, etc. Graveside services will be held at the Turtle Lake Cemetery at approximately 2:30 p.m. Mary Beth was born August 14, 1958 to Orville and Mary Sundby in Turtle Lake, ND where she was raised and attended school. She graduated from Turtle Lake High School at age 15 in 1973 and was recognized in "Who's Who in High School" for her achievements. She then attended and graduated from Bismarck Business College and worked in Bismarck for a number of years before moving to Fort Collins, Colorado. After working there for two years, she returned to Bismarck where she had a ten-year career at the Bank of North Dakota, primarily working in the student loan department as a program coordinator. After being diagnosed with MS, she continued to work for many years and was recognized in 1990 as the Handicapped Citizen of the Year by the City of Bismarck. In 1995, she was no longer able to work and retired, living with her parents who had moved to Bismarck where their son Dwight built a home designed to care for Mary Beth. Her parents were the primary caretakers for Mary Beth after her retirement until 2005 when she began residence at the St. Vincent's Care Center. Mary Beth enjoyed lake camping, traveling and visiting with her best friends and family. She faced the challenges of MS with a courageous attitude and sense of grace, maintaining her wry sense of humor throughout her life. Known for her outgoing personality, Mary Beth made friends wherever she was - at work, in the neighborhood, or at the care center. For several years she noted on her annual Christmas card that she was "still waiting for a cure". Mary Beth's family wishes to recognize the scores of home health caregivers who assisted her parents over the years in her care; the many loving caregivers at the St. Vincent Care Center; Sharon Sundby, RN, director of the Sacred Heart unit at St. Vincent's; her primary physicians, Dr. Jeff Orchard and Dr. Ralph Dunnigan; the Bank of North Dakota who accommodated Mary Beth's physical challenges in order that she could continue to work; and the many family members and friends who loyally visited and corresponded with Mary Beth. Mary Beth is survived by her parents, Orville and Mary Sundby; brother Doug of Centennial, Colorado; brother David of Fort Collins, Colorado; brother Dwight of Bismarck; sister-in-law Martha of Denver, Colorado; nephew Jonathan Sundby Crystal and children Madison and Jalen of Plano, Texas; nephew James Sundby of Centennial, Colorado; aunts Carol Sundby of Turtle Lake and Marian Braun of Bismarck; uncle Ed Sundby of Fargo; uncle, aunt and godparents, Walt and Lucille Braun of Bismarck; and many cousins around the country. The family asks that donations in her memory be made to the National MS Society at PO Box 4527, New York, NY 10163.

Mary Beth Sundby

August 14, 1958 - October 2, 2010