Marie E. Mead, a longtime teacher in the Omaha School District died of natural causes Wednesday at age 93.

Mrs. Mead taught special education in Omaha from about 1930 until her retirement in 1964. She helped create the individual progress department at Webster School, moved to Edward Rosewater School, and then continued the program at Bancroft School. The department was a forerunner to modern special education and taught manual skills as well as academics.

For this work, she was recognized as Optimist of the Year in 1954. She was a member of the Benson Garden Club, Omaha Women’s Club and the Retired Teachers Association.

Mrs. Mead was born in Blair, Neb., on Oct. 25, 1895. She graduated from Blair High School and attended the then University of Omaha. She married Leo S. Mead on June 15, 1925. Mead died in 1956.

Mrs. Mead is survived by several nieces.

Note: Per Ancestry Social Security Death Index, death date was 19 July 1989, Omaha, Douglas, NE. Per Ancestry: parents were Cornelius Cannon and Wilhelmina F. Jester.