Mary attended Goshen Local Schools, from kindergarten (1956) through high school graduating in 1969. While at GHS Mary was a member of the marching band, concert band, pep band, "Say It with Music" stage band, Future Teachers of America, Student Council, Honor Society. She was also a teacher’s aide for the Head Start early childhood education program.

        Following high school, Mary pursued a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1973.

         Mary and her high school and college sweetheart, George A. Butts, married on July 3, 1970. George was a 1967 graduate of Goshen High School and a 1971 graduate of Miami University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in zoology. With backgrounds in science, it's no surprise that both love nature, spending time outdoors and gardening. George and Mary are the proud parents of Amy K. (Butts) Thompson (Goshen class of 1997/Miami University Class of 2001) and Gregory A. Butts (Goshen class of 2000/Ball State University Class of 2004). Amy is a Research Associate at the Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW). She is married to Kenneth D. Thompson (Goshen class of 1994) and together they have two children, Gavin L. Thompson (Goshen class of 2023) and Katherine A. Thompson (Goshen class of 2026). Gregory is a Botanist/Arborist for the Newfields Museum of Art in Indianapolis, IN. He is married to Tabitha (Gran) Butts (Mishawaka High School/Ball State University) and they have two children together, Grant A. Butts and Erica I. Butts, who attend Brownsburg Community Schools.

          In the fall of 1973, Mary began her career as a teacher at Goshen High School where she taught Life Science, General Biology, College Prep Biology, Advanced Biology, Botany, Practical Botany and Environmental Science. Mary's decision to become a teacher was heavily influenced by her grandfather who taught at Goshen Township Schools and her father who loved education and drove a school bus in the district for many years, but credits her high school biology , Mr. Denvin McClung with encouraging her decision to teach biology. As her mentor and colleague, Mr. McClung was very influential in shaping the kind of teacher that Mary would become.

           In addition to teaching science, Mary also served many other roles during her career at GHS including cheerleading coach, class sponsor, mentor to new teachers, Clermont County gifted program teacher, Science Challenge coach, new high school decor committee and science department chairperson. In 1999, she was honored with the Goshen High School "Teacher of the Year" award.

          Mary received a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Curriculum and Supervision from Wright State University in 1989 and went on to compete Masters Plus courses classes offered by Andrews University, Ashland College, the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University.

         In 1989, Mary and her family won a family trip to Walt Disney World from WKRC radio. While at Disney, Mary couldn't help but notice how much "science" she was experiencing and wondering how she could share those experiences with her students. When Mary saw an educational magazine with an advertisement for student trips to Disney World and Sea World, she ask school administrators for permission to take students to Florida on educational fieldtrip. With the help of Art teacher,Beverly Chaney, a Science & Art program was developed. Over the years, Mary led eight trips to Florida and introduced 140+ students to behind-the-scenes experiences in veterinary animal care at the Animal Kingdom and SeaWorld, Disney Hollywood Studios artists, DNA and plant research at Epcot, as well as, botany and landscape gardening at all the parks. Mary and Beverly each wrote curriculums that enabled students to earn science and art graduation credits for participating in these trips and doing projects related to their experience upon their return.

        After teaching 30 years at Goshen High School, Mary retired in 2003. After taking a month to relax, Mary spent three months refurbishing her father's home. For two years, 2003-2005, Mary returned to GHS to tutor students, preparing them to pass their high school graduation tests. In summer of 2005 she became a grandmother and at that point, she devoted all her efforts to providing childcare for her grandson. In 2008, granddaughter, Katherine arrived and Mary also began caring for her father.

        In 2011, the Goshen High School Alumni Association group was in need of help, so an invitation to start coming to meetings was the nudge that Mary needed to start doing something she had considered doing for years. In this role, Mary does research and writes biographies for the GHS Alumni Association Hall of Fame inductees. This type of research requires looking back at a lot of old school newspapers and Goshenensis yearbooks. She is also the co-administrator of the Alumni face book page which currently has close to 3000 Goshen High school Alumni members.

         In 2016 when Superintendent Darrell Edwards had the idea of developing a Goshen School "history wall". Mary had spent countless hours in the high school library doing alumni history research and the high school librarian recommended that she be invited to join the school history research team. The "history wall" is now displayed in the Goshen High School Community Room. Mary was extremely proud to have been a part of this special project.

        After completion of the wall project, Mary was asked to join the Goshen Education Foundation (GEF) in 2018. Mary is now a board member and co-chair for the GEF Awards Committee, which provides grants for Goshen Local School District staff and Scholarships for Goshen High School seniors. Mary also helps with fundraising and organizing the GEF annual gala event and the annual golf outing fundraiser which supports Goshen Athletic Association, Goshen Alumni Association and Goshen Education Foundation.

        In their free time, Mary and George both enjoy going to yard sales. The trips to Disney resulted in Mary wanting to collect small Disney character toys. She found lots at yard sales, most of which were McDonald's Happy Meal Toys. This has blossomed into a McDonald Happy Meal toy collection of thousands. She also collects Fenton Art Glass and wildlife art prints by John Ruthven, Ray Harm and Charley Harper. She is also an amateur geneologist and has added over 600 members to her family tree.

         Both Mary and George also spend countless hours supporting their four grandchildren who are active in soccer, basketball, softball, piano, Boy Scouts, juggling and dance.

         Mary claims to bleed red and gray and we don't doubt it since her family has been involved in Goshen Schools for over 100 years.