Mary Louise Arison Hermanson, widow of Dr. Gordon E. Hermanson, former president of Davis and Elkins College, departed from this life Saturday, May 25, 2002, in Minocqua, Wis., while visiting her son, Gordon Edward Hermanson.
She was born on June 12, 1918, in Sycamore, Ill. Her parents were C. John and Esther Gustavson Arison.
Mary graduated from Sycamore High School in 1936, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., in 1940, and then spent two years at Biblical Seminary.
She served, with her husband, as a missionary in the Cameroon, West Africa and she also taught kindergarten in New Jersey, Iowa and the Homestead School for the Randolph County, West Virginia Board of Education. Mary was an active member of Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church where she served as an Elder, on various committees and Circle. She was active in many organizations, serving as President of Church Women United for the state of West Virginia, and was active for many years in AAUW and WCTU. Mary considered that her most worthy contributions to the church were her 10 to 15 hours a week visiting the elderly, ill, shut-ins and nursing home residents from 1964 to 1999 when she was no longer able to drive.
She is survived by her two sons, Gordon Edward and wife, Kathryn Hermanson, Minocqua, Wis., Robert William and wife, Brenda Hermanson, Princeton, N.J., her daughter, Carol Ann and husband, Kenneth Mahaffey, Berkeley, Calif. and her grandchildren, Kristin Britta and husband, James Keal; Robert Jeffrey Morriss, Sara Kathryn Morriss, Johanna Margaret and husband, Steven Flythe and Herman “Hans” Johannson Hermanson. She is also survived by three sisters, Dorothy and husband, A. Maurice Dunker, Irene King and Ida Elaine and husband, Dr. James Maxwell; one brother, John and husband, Shirley Arison; one brother-in-law, the Rev. Robert. F. and wife, the Rev. Evangeline Hermanson; and by nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon; her daughter, Mary Elizabeth; her parents, her brothers, Lester and Quentin Arison and their wives, one brother-in-law Everett King, and her sister, Jean Arison.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Gordon and Mary Hermanson Scholarship Fund at Davis & Elkins College, Elkins W.Va. 26241, or to the Mission Fund at Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church, Elkins, W.Va. 26241.
A memorial service will be held at the Davis Memorial Church on June 22 at 2 p.m. in Elkins. Friends and family are encouraged to come to give thanks to God! The family wishes to extend its thanks to the many kind words of love and faith, and your prayers of support and encouragement. Our prayer is that our Lord has welcomed home his child Mary, with the words: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”
