Mary Ann (Peters) Bush Wright

Mary Ann Bush Wright, age 92, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 23, 2020 surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren. MaryAnn was a native New Mexican born to parents Milo and Anna Peter and the youngest child of 5 brothers; Earl, Ray, John, Gene Leon and 3 sisters Opal, Eva, and Helen.

MaryAnn was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, sisters, first husband CC Bush, beloved husband of 22 years Toby Wright, eldest son Clayton (Randy) Bush, son in -law Charlie Brannon, daughters in-law Paula and Allene Bush.

MaryAnn is survived by sons Cary Bush, Chris Bush, Chuck Bush and his wife Sylvia, daughter Paula Bush and 9 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

MaryAnn graduated from Albuquerque High School in the 1945 and stayed involved in alumni activities throughout her life. MaryAnn was a pioneer of her time as a single mother of five with a full-time career in criminal judicial system during a time when women were not recognized as having the ability to rise to a position of authority and influence. MaryAnn proved that a woman could do it all.

MaryAnn started her career in 1956 at 28 years old at the Clerk’s Office of the Second Judicial District Court and rose to the position of Deputy District Court Clerk in charge of the Criminal Division. MaryAnn was known as “The Woman who knows” by the Albuquerque Press Association because of her robust knowledge of the criminal justice system.

MaryAnn was extremely proud of the fact that she was pioneering the way for women in the workforce at a time when it was still somewhat taboo for women to focus on a career. Despite the fact that she was focused on competing in the male dominated workforce, it didn’t stop her from marching the halls of the courthouse in her high heels and best dresses. MaryAnn resigned after 15 years with tremendous respect from her male and female colleagues.

Upon leaving the District Court, she took a position as the Administrative Assistant and Personal Secretary for both James Brandenberg and Steven Schiff for the duration of their terms. She left the DA’s office in 1977 and began the next phase of her career with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and went on to serve the department through three administrations, Jimmerson, Stover, and Campbell. At the end of Campbell’s term, in 1985, MaryAnn retired after nearly 30 years of public service.

MaryAnn was the matriarch of a five-generation family, which was her true passion and she constantly held the family together. The family nickname for MaryAnn was “Mother Mary” because of the way that she led and cared for every member of the family.

When her children were growing up, MaryAnn put enormous faith in them to take care of one another while she was working to support the family. She was able to create an environment of trust and understanding that the children would do what was necessary at home, at school, and in life and was able to do so without yelling at or threatening her children. According to the kids, the fear of disappointing mom kept the family together, helped them make the right choices, and guided their journey into and throughout adulthood.

The legacy that MaryAnn leaves behind is something that has inspired every member of her family and the countless others that she met during her 92 years. She was fiercely loyal, forever patient, extremely polite, and proved that supermarket flowers can make everything better. She will be extremely missed but lives on in the legacy that she leaves behind and those that inspire to be better because of her.