Mariah Lynne Soderlund

Mariah Lynne Soderlund

Sept. 21, 1974 -Dec. 3, 2017

GOODLAND, Kan. — Goodland, Kansas, resident, Mariah Lynne Soderlund “Dr. Berry, DVM,” 43, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, at her home south of Goodland following a courageous battle with cancer.

Mariah was born on Sept. 21, 1974, in Colby, Kan., to Mark and Mildred (Williams) Berry. Mariah always had a love for animals, her first word was dog. She had horses, mules, donkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits, anoles, Woodsy the owl, chickens, goats, and whatever other animal she could find to take care of. There was never a time when she did not want to be a veterinarian.

She started school at Tri-Plains in Winona, and continued at Cheylin in McDonald and Bird City. In high school, Mariah was very active with honor society, FFA, volleyball, cheerleading, POM, and Academic Bowl. Her sophomore summer, she went to Australia on a walkabout tour. The next summer, she visited walkabout friends in Washington, D.C. and did a tour of the Nation’s capital.

Mariah finished her high school career graduating valedictorian from Cheylin High School in Bird City, Kan., in 1993. She then went to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., to obtain her doctorate degree in veterinary medicine. She made many lifelong friends at this time. It was at this time that Mariah succumbed to the joys of Wildcat football and Coach Snyder. Her blood ran purple from that point on. She graduated from K-State in 2000.

Mariah was working at her first job in Oberlin, Kan., where she met her future husband, when he brought in a cow for her to work on. On April 20, 2002, she married Kevin Soderlund at the Berry Ranch north of McDonald. To this union, she welcomed two children, Gage and Dallas Soderlund into her life.

Mariah and Kevin lived in Hugoton, Kan., for 10 years where she worked as a veterinarian. She was involved in many community activities including the Dusty Trail Saddle Club; she enjoyed raising the kids and attending all of their sporting events, and school activities. The family enjoyed attending yearly K-State football games.

In 2011, Mariah achieved her lifelong dream of owning her own veterinary practice, when they bought the Vet Clinic in Goodland. Mariah had a love for animals, and through her job as a veterinarian, she has made many wonderful friends throughout the area.

Preceding her in death were her maternal grandparents and her paternal grandfather.

She is survived by her husband, Kevin; her parents, Mark and Mildred Berry of McDonald, Kan.; her maternal grandmother, Maxine Berry of Monument, Kan.; her mother and father-in-law, Delbert and Norma Lewis of Oberlin; two step-children, Gage (Audry) Soderlund and their children, Avery and Eva and Dallas Soderlund and her son, Kaiser, all of Oberlin. She is also survived by many friends.

The family is having a Come and Go Celebration of Life on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, beginning at 5 p.m. MT, during the K-State Bowl Game at the Student Union at the Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland. They are asking friends to join them in celebrating Mariah’s life and her love for the Kansas State Wildcats. The family encourages everyone in attendance to wear your favorite K-State attire or something purple.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated to the Mariah Berry Soderlund Memorial Fund and may be left at the service or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

Online condolences for the family may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.

Service arrangements are entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland.