Mary Ann Nixon, 89, of Grinnell died December 13, 2011, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center. Burial will be held 2:30 p.m. Friday, December 23, at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell followed by a memorial service scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Friday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Grinnell. Visitation will be held from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, December 22, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Heart Association. Mary was born June 21, 1922, in Burlington, Iowa, the daughter of Samuel and Rose Brunner Schranz, where she was also raised and educated. On July 10, 1948, she was united in marriage to James E. Nixon, in Burlington. The couple lived in Burlington before moving to Grinnell in 1966. While in Grinnell, she was employed for several years as a cook for the Grinnell-Newburg School District. Mary was a constant presence at all of her son's school and sporting events over the years. She enjoyed playing cards and collecting cuckoo clocks and bells, which were displayed throughout her home. She loved to cook and took great pride in maintaining a well-kept home. Her time spent with her two grandchildren was always some of her best memories. She was very proud of them. Survivors include her son, Joe (Judi) Nixon and two grandchildren, Leah and Steven, all of Brentwood, Tennessee. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim in 1974; and several brothers and sisters.