Mary was born in 1890 in Clinton, Minnesota. She immigrated to Canada with her family in 1901.
She was a teacher and poet. Mary attended school at Thordenskjold and at Bethania High School
in Everett, Washington. She was one of the first students to attend Camrose Lutheran College and
Mary also attended Bible School at Wapeton, North Dakota. She taught public school at Roro,
Alberta and parochial school in several Lutheran congregations.
In 1922 Mary married Helik H. Rustand, who was a mechanic and they moved to Wainwright.
In Wainwright, they had four children: George (1923-1934), who was buried in Scandia Cemetery,
Robert, born in 1924, James, born in 1930, and Irene, born in 1932.
