Mary Theresa John

Mary passed peacefully to the spirit world on May 8th.

Mary Teresa John, was born in Fort Totten on June 14th 1952, to Maridelia Longie and Adrian Foote SR, enrolled in the Spirit Lake nation and shared Hidatsa heritage from her father.

Nonie was a proud mother to Kevin “from heaven” Michael John, spirit name”Red Star,” of whom passed June 27th 2011. She graduated from Shanley High School in Fargo, ND and graduated from MSUM with a major in English and a minor in American Indian studies. Mary was a writer for the “Red River Times” in 1999. In 2002, she would produce “Mitakuye Oyasin: All My Relations” which received Best Feature Film (Native American Voices) at the Fargo Film Festival. An award was soon named in honor of this accomplishment.

Nonie was a funny, smart, kind and compassionate woman and a mentor to many. She was so loved and she will be very missed by her family and extended family of Spirit Lake as well as many who considered her a friend.

She was preceded in death by Gerald H Graffis (Babe, brother) Beth Ann Fox (sister), Maridelia Longie (mother), Adrian Foote Sr (father), as well as nephews Waylon E Fox, Gregory Ohnstad.

Surviving is sister Beatrice Kay Martinez (Graffis) (Jerome), Donna Norquay; nephews, nieces, and grandchildren Amber Pohto, Brandi Ann DeVries (Joshua), Cletis Graffis Sr, Ferlon Fox Jr, Garrett Graffis, Cletis Fox Jr, Waylon Fox Jr, Ely Edison, River Sullivan, Winter Sullivan.

A funeral service will be held Monday, May 16, 2022, at 1:00 P.M., with visitation for one hour before the service, at Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead. The funeral will be livestreamed here on Mary’s webpage for those unable to attend. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fargo, ND.

The family appreciates your attendance and invites you to join them for a feast at Woodlawn Park in Moorhead, at 5:00 P.M., following the interment.