BY PATRICK YEAGLE

She grew up the only girl with five brothers. Maybe that was where Mary Therese Vann first learned to hold her own.

Known as M.T. to many, Mary Therese Vann of Springfield died Dec. 31, 2016, leaving a respected legacy of making her own way in the worlds of business and social justice.

M.T. Vann was partly known in Springfield for starting a real estate firm, Prairie Property Solutions. However, she was also a strong advocate for LGBT rights and animal rights, a generous philanthropist and a helping hand in times of need.

The Most Rev. Kevin Vann, who serves as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange in California, is one of M.T. Vann’s five brothers. Vann remembers his sister as larger than life and with a heart full of gratitude.

“She would do anything for anybody,” he said. “She would help all kinds of people on the margins of society.”

Vann notes that Mary Therese was committed to Springfield and took seriously the responsibility that comes with being part of a well-known family. When something needed to be done, he said, Mary Therese was “not just words; she was words and action.”

“She was socially engaged and went out of her way to do things for other folks,” he said. “That kind of presence will be greatly missed.”

Jonna Cooley, executive director of the Phoenix Center in Springfield, met Vann around 2006. Cooley says she and Vann instantly became friends, in part because of their shared passion for LGBT issues. Vann soon joined the Phoenix Center’s board of directors and eventually served as board president for eight years and as an honorary board member afterward.

Cooley says Vann never hid who she was, but rather embraced it. In doing so, Vann created space for others to be themselves.

“She said things other people wanted to say but couldn’t,” Cooley said. “She definitely opened doors for the LGBT community in Springfield.”

Cooley praises Vann’s ability to stay cool, even during conflict.

“No matter if you were in a frenzy, she was always pretty even,” Cooley said. “She would listen even if she was ticked off, and most of the time, you would walk away with an understanding. She could bridge gaps like no one else.”

John Kerstein was Vann’s business partner at Prairie Property Solutions, the residential real estate firm they created together in 2012. Kerstein says one of Vann’s best qualities was her ability to lead people “without them feeling like they were being led.” He admired Vann’s tenacity, drive and perseverance, but like many who knew her, he emphasizes her eagerness to help others.

“M.T. touched countless lives,” he said, comparing to her St. Francis. “There was always somebody she was helping. That was her life’s mission.”

Springfield real estate agent Sam Perks met Vann when she invited him to join Prairie Property Solutions in 2015. Perks said he was instantly drawn to Vann’s charisma and trustworthiness.

“Whether it was a personal issue or a business issue, it didn’t matter – day or night – she was one person I always knew I could count on,” he said. “It’s sobering to realize the void that now exists. It’s easy to take for granted the people who are most capable in your life. Not having her here makes it even more apparent that she was one of the most capable people I ever met.”

 

Photo By John Kerstein