Mary L. Wolff

Born and raised in an extended family in St. Paul, she was known among her many cousins as “The Boss." She liked to organize and did so with competence and zest to the benefit of the many firms and service organizations that she joined or cofounded. Mary Lesley Wolff died July 23, 2026, aged 102, surrounded by family.

Born Mary Lesley Ames, her family had deep roots in Unitarianism. Self-development was a theme her whole life. After attending Summit School in St. Paul she went to the University of Michigan where she met her first husband, Bill Andrews. After the war Mary gave birth to their first two children, Linda and Kent, and later, in Denver, to Lesley. They divorced in 1953.

A single mother of three, Mary finished her degree in journalism and social science at The University of Denver. She moved to Boulder and became employed as Assistant Director to Walter Orr Roberts, the Director of the High-Altitude Observatory and later the founding director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

Her work at NCAR included research into architectural design for scientific research. She collaborated with renowned architect I. M. Pei, on NCAR’s iconic Mesa lab. Another member of that team was Ed Wolff – who became her second husband.

Mary and Ed married in 1963. After leaving NCAR, she and a group of other volunteers were instrumental in flipping Boulder from a Republican to a Democratic county.

She was a beacon to younger women by encouragement and example. She co-founded the award winning PR firm Dacey, Wolff, & Weir. Over the years she served on numerous boards and committees. Moving on from advertising, she worked at The Aspen Institute, becoming Associate Director, Program on Food, Climate and the World’s Future, increasing the number of women invited to attend and speak. In retirement she was a tireless volunteer for, and later Board Chair of Eco-Cycle. She developed a building program for Emergency Family Assistance.

She organized a collection of her ancestors’ family letters that became The Ames Family Collection in the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College. Mary was a consummate administrator working to improve community, environment and human rights.

In later life, Ed and Mary traveled, often touring on bikes and later with Elderhostel. They moved into The Academy in 2004, where she continued to bike, garden and organize to make her new community a better place, initiating a recycling program there.

Mary was a dedicated mother who made sure her children understood the critical life skills of checkbooks, budgets, typing, camping, consideration for others, etc.

She is survived by her children and stepchildren Linda Cowan, Kent Andrews, Lesley Andrews, Elizabeth Wolff, and Robert Wolff, as well as grandchildren Jason Andrews, Siri Soule, Ethan Cowan, Léma Andrews-Hirano, and four great-grandchildren.

To honor Mary’s memory, recycle and donate to eco*cycle (https://ecocycle.org/getinvolved/donate/).