‘It Was Her Mission in Life to Help Others’

Mary Strange had long been known at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton for her kindness, generosity and willingness to help positively impact the lives of others through volunteering. The ThedaCare Family of Foundations is honoring her memory as her recent estate gift ensures her commitment to serving others will live on.

Strange was a long-time volunteer at the gift shop at ​​ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton where she served for years as treasurer. She also served on the Board at ThedaCare Peabody Manor, a skilled nursing facility.

She passed away in September of 2025, leaving instructions for her donation of $200,000 to be shared with the ThedaCare Family of Foundations.

In accordance with her wishes, half of Strange’s donation was shared with the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton Volunteer Scholarship Fund, while the other half will benefit the ThedaCare Foundation-Appleton.

ThedaCare’s Volunteer Scholarship Fund offers members of the surrounding community a range of opportunities to help better ensure a positive health care experience for ThedaCare’s patients, visitors and team members.

The ThedaCare Foundation-Appleton supports projects and initiatives that drive health care innovation and help improve the patient experience. These efforts are central to expanding access to quality health care for all residents and advancing the long-term well-being of the community.

Strange’s donation came as bittersweet news to many of those who worked with her and was a touching legacy, reflecting the caring, giving person she was, they said.

“She was really dedicated to her volunteer work,” said Mary Peterson, Strange’s volunteer colleague of nearly 30 years. “She was a business person so she was good with numbers and figures and did the bookkeeping for the gift shop. She would show up every day, always pleasant, smiling, dedicated to her duty of taking care of the volunteers. She was dependable. It wasn’t just a volunteer opportunity for her, it was her mission in life to help others.”

Barb Schlafer worked with Strange as a volunteer at the gift shop and also as a member of the gift shop committee. She said Strange, who enjoyed a successful career in banking before retiring, was an asset to the volunteer team and was a caring person who made a positive impression on those she served.

“She was the gift shop’s long time treasurer and stopped in the shop daily, keeping track of the revenue and expenses, paid the bills, did the banking, kept financial records and was always on top of what was going on,” Schlafer said. “She cared a great deal for the volunteers and the program. They were very important to her and so dear to her heart.”

Shane Kohl shared similar sentiments. Kohl is Director of Foundations for the ThedaCare Family of Foundations.

“I had the pleasure of working with Mary for more than 13 years,” he said. “She was an intelligent, independent, strong-willed woman. Mary had a wonderful sense of humor. It was a dry, sharp wit that always kept you on your toes. She cared deeply for the community and when she was involved in a project, she wanted to learn as much as she could about the opportunity and find ways to ensure her support made a positive impact.”

A Family Tradition

Kohl said he was humbled when he received word of Strange’s intent to support the Foundation through her donation.

“Mary witnessed first-hand the impact philanthropy has on our patients and their families,” he said. “She, like her parents – her mother Mary and her father John – embraced giving back and donating so it was wonderful for ThedaCare to be a part of her legacy to the community.”

Strange’s brother, Dave, confirmed the family’s tradition of giving.

“We grew up with parents who role-modeled volunteerism and giving,” he said. “Mary was a kind and generous person to everyone. Her volunteer work with ThedaCare began in the mid-1950s when she volunteered to become a Candy Striper. Throughout the rest of her life, she continued to volunteer and give to many organizations.”

Strange’s donation is one more way she will continue to help make a positive impact in the community, Kohl said.

“Her gift to the ThedaCare Foundation-Appleton will help us respond to the areas of greatest need within the hospital. This could include new equipment, nursing education, programming and more,” he said. “And her support of our Volunteer Scholarship Fund will help the group grow and expand their efforts to serve as passionate advocates for our patients.”

“Mary was a quiet philanthropist. It was never about her,” Kohl said. “It was always about helping an organization she cared deeply about. We hope others in the community will consider following Mary’s example and consider ThedaCare as they reflect upon their legacy to the community.”

Heart of a Donor Series

This article is part of a planned series featuring generous donors who support the ThedaCare Family of Foundations. Donations to the ThedaCare Family of Foundations help fund projects and programs on many levels across the system. If you know a donor, or community organization, who has a connection to the ThedaCare Family of Foundations, and believe should be featured in the “Heart of a Donor” series, please email [email protected].

To learn more about the ThedaCare Family of Foundations and the impact of donor support, please visit ThedaCare.org/Foundations.

About ThedaCare

For more than 115 years, ThedaCare® has been improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in northeast and central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 650,000 residents in 17 counties, and employs approximately 7,000 providers and team members at 180 points of care, including 10 hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique, best lives. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, find solutions together, and encourage health awareness and action. ThedaCare is part of Froedtert ThedaCare, Wisconsin’s most comprehensive health care system.