A life dedicated to service

Mary Thornton’s lifelong passion for volunteerism and giving cannot be diminished, even in retirement.

Mary graduated with a degree in history from Mount Mercy in 1970, but she knew teaching in a high school classroom might not be the best fit for her. Instead, she embarked on a journey of service for her community’s most vulnerable populations, wherever that was in her well-traveled life.

Mary’s lifelong dedication to others has made her the recipient of Mount Mercy University’s 2025 Misericordiae Alumni Award, presented for humanitarian service to others through professional or volunteer activities.

“We have the means to do things. We have the time to do things,” Mary explained of her life with her husband, Patrick. “And we discovered that we are surrounded by people that want to give back as we do. And, frankly, faith without action has a hollow ring.

“I try to tell people you don’t have to devote 40 hours a week to being a volunteer,” Mary continued. “When many of us work together toward a common goal, a positive outcome is feasible.”

Mary has been fostering change in the communities in which she has lived throughout her entire life. She grew up as a farmer’s daughter in Independence, Iowa. Her mother passed away when Mary was 13 and she grew up in a household with seven older brothers.

“Lots of guidance,” she recalled with a chuckle.

Raised with a foundation in Catholic faith, her father guided her toward Mount Mercy, likely influenced by the advice of her aunt, who was a Mercy nun.

“He wanted me to go someplace where I wouldn’t be overwhelmed, perhaps not that far from home,” Mary recalled. “It was a fabulous four years. I felt protected coming from a household that was all men. This was an opportunity to develop close friendships and have surrogate sisters, and I stayed in touch with several of them through all these years.”

Mary has fond memories of her time on the Hill, including watching the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds” in the Penthouse, playing bridge with classmates, and putting together a

talent show for Parent’s Weekend. Being from a small town, Mary said Mount Mercy exposed her to new people and new ideas.

“I met people from all different backgrounds, and it was eye-opening to meet these people and hear their stories,” she said.

After Mount Mercy, having married a U. S. Military Academy graduate, multiple moves were in her future due to military assignments. Mary counts 22 different addresses, including stops in Iowa, Georgia, Texas, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey. They also lived in Germany—twice.

“What I could do was work successfully to help children, to share my passion for reading,” Mary said. “Every place I’ve lived, I’ve reached out to share my talents and interests.”

For instance, in New Jersey, she served as a literacy volunteer and an Educational Surrogate Parent for children who were wards of the State. She taught preschool for two years in Virginia. She spent five years managing a shared reading program in 15 schools, while fundraising to provide new books to build home libraries for those children. She once held a position in which she represented nonprofits to recruit, interview, and place volunteers with those nonprofits.

“I’ve been a volunteer manager since high school,” Mary recalled, “both in a paid position and as a volunteer. I’ve enjoyed the experience of reinventing myself every time I moved.”

"We act as a conduit for getting resources where they’re needed." —Mary (Kayser) Thornton '70

Along the way, Mary and Patrick raised two children, a son, Brian, and a daughter, Cindy, and today they have three grandchildren. In 2010, Mary and her husband retired and moved to Fort Mill, South Carolina. Shortly afterwards, she launched The Giving Porch, a charity that raises awareness for local nonprofits and organizes assistance with delivery of local resources and donations.

“We act as a conduit for getting resources where they’re needed,” Mary said. “So, if someone says, ‘I’ve got a kitchen table and chairs that I don’t need or want anymore, who do you think needs it?’ I’ll say, ‘All right, send me a picture, and I will reach out to the nonprofits that I think might be able to use this.’”

Even in retirement, Mary is showing no signs of stepping away from the volunteerism that has defined her life.

“We can all work together, sharing small and large amounts of time, resources and talents,” Mary said. “That’s why I emphasize my tagline: ‘Don’t let your inability to do everything prevent you from doing something.’”