Mary Alberts Gade

Mary Alberts Gade

Cedar Rapids

Mary Alberts Gade left the world and the people she loved on Dec. 1, 2022, for her special place in heaven.

She was born in Boone, Iowa, on Dec. 7, 1934, to Verna Butler Peters and John Emmett Peters. She grew up in Blairstown, Iowa, and after high school lived and worked in Cedar Rapids. She married Dean Alberts in 1953, and together they raised three children, Jim, David, and Laurie. In 1985 she married Milton Gade. They lived in Colorado for over 10 years and then returned to Cedar Rapids and many life-long friends.

Anyone who knew Mary just naturally wanted to be with her. She was beautiful, fun, and compassionate. Her dedication to animals was legendary, especially to her beloved Airedales. She founded two Airedale Rescue organizations, one in Cedar Rapids and one in Colorado. Mary had a very successful dog-grooming business for many years. She also loved horses and spent many happy hours on horseback.

She was a serious card player, with a passion for euchre, a lover of the mountains and chocolate. She was the definition of courage. With many health issues in her latter years, any one of which would have defeated most people, she soldiered on and rarely let it show. Her self-deprecating humor was also legendary. She adored and was devoted to her grandchildren, who adored her right back. Who wouldn’t love a grandma who let them join her eating brownies for breakfast?

She is survived by Milt, her husband of 37 years; her children, Jim Alberts (Julie Carley) of Cedar Rapids, David (Christy) Alberts of Denver, Colo., and Laurie (Larry) Fields of Glendale, Ariz. She will be missed by her grandchildren, Kate (Scott) Williams, Nate (Courtney) Alberts, Megann (Jake) Wolford and Cameron Fields; great-grandchildren, Lydia, Emmett, Jack, Addie, Sawyer, Jane and Emily. She also is survived by her sister, Judy (Jim) Cherveny of Duluth, Minn., and their children, Andrea, Aaron and Scott, and great-nieces and -nephews, always making them feel special and loved. To say that Mary will be missed is a great understatement. The world was a better place with her in it, and we are all better off for having been part of her life.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to Airedale Terrier Rescue Association (ATRA), 1123 Vesper Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.