Mary Alice Coan

In Memory of a Lifelong Friend to the Library

By Emily Coan

My mom, Mary Alice Coan, first came to Madison in the early 50’s to complete her English degree at the UW Madison. She lived in Madison until she graduated in 1956 and then returned to Madison in 1976 to attend Law School. She lived in Middleton, WI for many years and then moved to the far west side of Madison in 1998. Prior to her retirement she worked as an attorney for the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and in American Family Insurance’s Corporate Legal office.

As a child, Mom loved spending her summers at the Manchester Iowa Public Library. She visited her grandparents in Manchester every year and spent a great deal of time at the library. Her first job after college graduation was working as a junior librarian at the Milwaukee Public Library. She then returned to Madison to work at the University Library in their acquisition’s department. She was on the Library Board and ran the annual book sale for the Shawano Public Library for many years in the 60’s and 70’s. She was a lover of books and always a big supporter of her local public library.

Mom passed on her love of books to her children and grandchildren.  We are all avid readers and my oldest sister worked in the Madison Public Library (Central) while she attended the University. Mom particularly loved poetry and shared that with her four children and five grandchildren.

Mom volunteered for the Friends of Alicia Ashman and spent many hours sorting and organizing donated books for the semiannual book sales. She loved the location of her home which was right next door to the Alicia Ashman Branch.

The Madison Public Library Foundation acknowledges and appreciates the gift received from Mary Alice Coan’s estate.