NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mary Buthman Essert

was born in Conway, Ark., to Dr. W. C (Bill) and Erma Buthman. Mary studied at Hendrix College, receiving a BA in English and Minor in Psychology. As a mature student, she made a further study in Aging and Human Services at College of Du Page. She returned and spent the last 20 years of her life in Conway.

At Christmas 1953, Mary met Bob Essert and they married in 1955 in Little Rock and moved to Upstate New York a year later, where they raised three children – Robert Jr., Ellen, and William. She was active in music, church and PEO while teaching swimming and taking on aquatics leadership roles in the YMCA. From there they moved to Chicago until 1994.

As a swimming teacher from 1949, she used a daily water fitness routine to overcome breast cancer in her 50s and again in her 70s. She adapted her own experience to encouraging water fitness in others. By her 80s she was a well-respected specialist in post rehab aquatic programs for arthritis, fibromyalgia, breast cancer, lymphedema, post-polio syndrome and chronic pain, and was a trained practitioner in Watsu water therapy. She taught in Spain, England as well as the US. She was awarded the Arkansas Governor’s Council on Fitness 2009 Leadership in Fitness Award.

Mary was a lifelong Episcopalian, active in mission work. She participated in music groups in each town in which they lived, Mary playing both guitar and banjo.

Mary is survived by her husband; three children; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Conway, on Sunday 28th January at 4 p.m. The service will be livestreamed on https://www.facebook.com/StPetersConway/live_videos.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one of Mary’s favorite good causes: the W. C. Buthman Endowed Visiting Scholar and Lectureship Program at Hendrix College, Conway, Ark. https://www.hendrix.edu/giving; or United States Water Fitness 6415 North Ocean Blvd., Boynton Beach, Fla. 33435 info@uswfa.org.