Mary Anna Thrall

Dr. Mary Anna Thrall was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, professor of clinical pathology, and a force to be reckoned with of Barnesville, Colorado and St Kitts. She passed away at 80 years of age of ovarian cancer, on July 14, 2024.

She was born in Montreal, Canada, on July 4th, 1944, to Mariella Godfrey Hull And John Hull. Mary Anna grew up in Patoka, IN. She knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from six years of age. Mary Anna obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Evansville, her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Purdue University, and her Master's Degree from Colorado State University.

Dr. Mary Anna Thrall was a small animal practitioner for four years after receiving her DVM degree. Following her residency in clinical pathology, she was a faculty member in the Department of Pathology at Colorado State University. For 32 years, she helped train over 40 veterinary clinical pathologists at CSU. She joined Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010 as a full time Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Dr. Mary Anna Thrall was actively teaching until just weeks ago. Teaching was her passion and she cared more for her students than they will ever know.

Dr. Thrall was involved in continuing education to veterinarians and pathologists and has provided more than 300 scientific presentations and continuing education programs. She is author or co-author of numerous scientific publications, abstracts, proceedings, and book chapters, and is the primary author of a clinical pathology textbook, Veterinary Hematology and Clinical Chemistry. Dr. Thrall was a diplomate and former president of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in Clinical Pathology and was a recipient of the ASVCP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Mary Anna was also the recipient of the National Pfizer (Zoetis) AAVMC Distinguished Teaching Award, in 2013.

Mary Anna was preceded in death by her mother Mariella Godfrey Hull, her father John Hull, and her half sister Shoan Finch.

Dr. Mary Anna Thrall is survived by her half brother John Hull Jr., and her four children. She married her high-school sweetheart, Joe Paul Bammer Sr, and they had Joseph Bammer, her first born son, who is a successful sod farmer from Patoka, IN. Joseph is married to Pam Bammer, and they have three beautiful children: Emily, Katherine, and Grace. Emily has two children, Jack (6) and Finnley (4). Katherine is married to Zac Kempf and they also have two children: Braxton (10) and Fletcher (2 months).

Dr. Mary Anna Thrall later married Dr. Francis Freemyer of Barnesville, CO and had three girls Anna, Sarah, and Clarissa. Anna is an Orthopedic Surgeon in Sterling, CO and is married to Josh Brown. Josh and Anna have three children: Evan (6), Nova (6), and Mari (1.5). Sarah is a devoted science teacher in Fort Collins, CO, and is married to Michael Waido. They also have three children: Lily (10), Iris (7), and Poppy (1.5). And lastly, Clarissa, of whom she was most proud as she is a veterinarian and recently completed a veterinarian radiation oncology residency. Clarissa is engaged to Sam O’Brien and they have one child, Willow Claire (3 weeks). Mary Anna had hoped to attend their wedding in September of this year.

Dr. Donald Thrall, her significant other, was very close to her heart. They had been married for four years prior to divorcing in the 70s. They rekindled their love over the past few years, and Don was there for her until the very end.

Mary Anna is also survived by many pets. She had four dogs: Maddie, Puff, Coco, and Bruce. She also had two cats: Belly and Stubs.

Mary Anna’s favorite thing to do was garden. She has two beautiful gardens that she spent countless hours perfecting. One is in Barnesville, CO (where she will be laid to rest) and the other is in St Kitts. We encourage you to visit both and pull a weed in her honor.

Please join us to celebrate this incredible life on August 3rd at 4pm at her home at 32475 County Road 61.5 Gill, CO 80624. She will always be remembered as a wonderful mother and teacher who taught us all to be the best versions of ourselves, to think critically, to have fun, and to not be held back by anything or anyone who gets in the way of our dreams and goals. May she live on in all of us.

In lieu of cut flowers, if you would like to contribute to her garden, we will be planting perennials in her honor. Contributions in Mary Anna's memory may be made to NOCO Humane , 1620 42nd St, Evans, Colorado 80620 US, https://www.nocohumane.org/?campaign=463238; and Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, PO Box 32141, New York, New York 10087 US, https://ocrahope.org/get-involved/donate/donate-now/?form=donations.