Mary P. Dienst, retired dietetics professor at Buffalo State

Sept. 11, 1918—March 21, 2010

Mary P. Dienst, formerly of Grand Island , a retired associate professor of dietetics at Buffalo State College, died Sunday in Spokane, Wash., where she had been living for the past five years. She was 91.

The former Mary Kirpatrick was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in Evanston, Ill. She earned her bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the the University of Iowa in Ames, Iowa.

Mrs. Dienst joined the Army in 1942 and served in both Algeria and Italy, where she cared for the wounded.

After her discharge from the Army in 1945, she returned to school and earned her master’s degree in dietetics from Cornell University.

She married Charles F. Dienst, a childhood acquaintance and former Army captain, in 1948. He died in 2004.

Mrs. Dienst taught at Buffalo State for 20 years before retiring in 1985.

She is survived by two daughters, Kate Browand and Nancy Auger; and a sister, Rosamond Oetking.

A private burial service is planned.