Sequim Irrigation Festival

November 10, 1919 – February 17, 2009

Mary Miller Schott, born in Rosebud, Montana in 1919, was the youngest of three children born to John and Augustine Miller.  Her family moved to Port Angeles in 1923.  They moved to Carlsborg in 1927 when they purchased 80 acres to raise dairy cattle.  She remembers doing lots of chores with the cows and garden, but also having lots of fun and a great childhood.  She was an outdoor girl who would chop wood, fish, cut Christmas trees, and pick wild strawberries.

What are now fields and farms in Carlsborg, were woods when Mary was young. She remembers being stalked by a cougar once and seeing bears on occasion.  The train also ran through Sequim and she used to play on logs with friends in the deep water around the Railroad Bridge.

Mary attended Carlsborg School until 1935, when she transferred to Sequim High School for 3 years.  Mary had 4 sons with Lloyd Stipe, whom she married in 1937, Ronald, John, Robert and William. 

In 1953, Mary married Ted Schott, with whom she had 3 daughters, Linda, Kristy and Mary Lynn.  Mary had 21 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and three great great grandchildren.  Ted passed away in 2000.

Ted worked heavy construction all over western Washington building roads and bridges.  In 1956 Mary and Ted purchased a farm near the Dungeness River.  Mary started a garden and slowly grew it into a farm.  In 1962 it was so big that she made a business out of it and started Schott’s Produce Farm.  Mary was the sole manager of the farm, where she raised peas, potatoes, corn and other vegetables with the help of their children. She sold garden peas to Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver and local markets.  She credits the good soil and water to the success of the farm.  Everyone who remembers the Schott Farm, remembers the “best peas ever”.

Mary was a longtime member of the Sequim Garden Club, where she won numerous awards and ribbons.  She was also a life member of the Sequim Prairie Grange.  She enjoyed traveling and was fortunate to travel to Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, New York, England and Scotland.  She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, knitting and cooking.

Mary remembers the Maypole dances that were part of the Irrigation Festival when she was young and was very excited to be named Honorary Grand Pioneer for the 2009 Sequim Irrigation Festival. We were very sorry to lose Mary in February this year and we will continue to remember and honor Mary.