Go Forth and Do Good

Throughout our lives there are those people who come along aside of you; mentor you and instruct you and encourage you. I had the extreme blessing of being mentored, instructed and encouraged by Western Water Law expert Mary Burke.
When I began my first real job at the Washington Cattlemen’s Association in Ellensburg in the early 90s, one of the first people I met was Mary Burke — a local rancher who I’m sure forgot more about Western Water Law than most of us will ever know. Mary was past president of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association — the first woman to hold that post as well holding other offices at the local, state, regional and national levels within the cattle industry.
She passed away this week at the age of 80. Today we will be gathering in Ellensburg to celebrate her life. Thoughts and prayers go to to her husband Pat of sixty years and her sons Joe and Jed.
Mary was an agvocate for ranchers throughout the West long before the term was coined. When I had the opportunity to be in meetings with Mary — I was always reminded that I was thankful that I was on the same side of an issue as Mary. At a time when not many women were in leadership roles in agriculture Mary served and had the respect of men she worked with. She fought hard for what she believed in and never gave up.
Go forth and do good — was her signature farewell. The livestock industry across the west appreciates all the good Mary did on behalf of agriculture. Rest in peace, Mary Burke.