Mary Jensen Oswald, 81, died Friday, June 18, 2021 at her home in Johnston. The family will receive friends 5-7 pm Wednesday at Iles Westover Chapel. Funeral services will be 11 am Thursday, June 24th at Luther Memorial Church. Burial will follow at Glendale Cemetery. We encourage friends and extended family to share their sympathies with Mary’s family using online condolences available on our website ilescares.com.

Mary was born March 11, 1940 to Helen Reeve, a teenage girl from West Branch, Iowa who came to Des Moines to the Benedict Home to have her baby. In July, 1940 Erling and Rose Jensen took her as their daughter and she was legally adopted in 1941.

Mary graduated from East High School in 1958, where she was a cheerleader and on Younkers Teen Board. She then attended Drake University and was a member of the Zeta Phi Eta Speech and Drama Fraternity. She graduated with a BFA and continued to model at Younkers while attending school.

In 1964 Mary was employed by TWA Airlines as a cabin attendant and later as Senior Grooming Instructor in the Hostess Traveling Center in Kansas City. In 1967 Mary and Joe Mazza wed and had a son, they later divorced.

Mary completed a counselor training course at Powell Chemical Dependency a year after her recovery there and was certified by the Iowa Board of Substance Abuse Certification. Mary later received her Master’s degree from Drake University. She continued to be a part time counselor there as well as at the Salvation Army Men’s Recovery Center.

In 1981 William Oswald and Mary were married and they were together for 21 years until Bill’s passing.

Mary was reunited with her birth mother in 2006 and she drove to Oskaloosa for three years to visit with Helen. Erling and Rose had passed away by then. Their reunion answered many lifelong questions and the circle was completed.

Survivors include her son, Michael; 3 grandchildren: Justina (Thomas) Lopez, Brooklyn Mazza, AJ Mazza; 2 great grandchildren: Everly and Theo; stepson Mark (Kris) Oswald; Mary was blessed with wonderful cousins and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her loving parents Erling, Rose and Helen; and her husband William Oswald.

Memorial contributions may be made to ARL, Salvation Army Men’s Recovery Center, or Powell Patient Fund at Lutheran Hospital.