Mary Dent Crisp was born on 5 November 1923 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. She was married to William Crisp. She died on 24 March 2007 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Co-chair of the Republican National Committee from 1977 to 1980, she left her position due to her support for abortion rights and the Equal Rights Amendment. She then chaired John Anderson's 1980 presidential campaign as an independent.