Emeritus, In Memoriam
Mary Francis Cave was the daughter of Frank and Verna Cave. Mary was born in Montana, but the family lived in Bismarck, North Dakota by 1930 where her father Frank worked as a civil engineer for the State of North Dakota. Mary had two younger sisters (Audrey and Betty) and one younger brother (Benjamin).
Mary attended the University of North Dakota and graduated with a B.S. degree. She also attended the Bennington School of Dance at Bennington College. By 1940 Mary Francis, at age 28, was teaching at a public school and living in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Mary was appointed in 1946 as Assistant Professor of Physical Education at San Diego State College. Her teaching specialty was in dance and she taught ballroom and modern dance classes. She taught for over 30 years during which she was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. Mary also served as Department Chair of the Women’s Physical Education program from 1965 to 1969.
Mary also taught golf and was the first Women’s Golf Coach at San Diego State. She was an advocate and volunteer for youth golf in San Diego. She was elected to the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1987 and to the San Diego Junior Golf Association Hall of Fame in 2001. A golf event called “The Mary Cave Cup” was established in 2003.
Mary retired in 1977 as Emeritus Associate Professor of Physical Education and spent her retirement years in San Diego. She passed away at age 97 in October 2008 in San Diego. The Mary Cave Scholarship for undergraduates was established in her memory at SDSU.
