MARY PACKARD obituary

CHESTER - Mary Lois (Suckow) Wolery Packard, 83, of Chester, died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at her apartment.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Chester Alliance Church. Burial will follow at Grace Cemetery.

Mary Lois was born Jan. 26, 1922, on the family homestead in the Sage community north of Inverness to Alfred and Louie (Phifer) Suckow. In her childhood years she received the nickname, "Mo," which stuck with her throughout the years.

Mary received her early education at the Packer and Oreana country schools near the farm, then transferred into Rudyard, where she graduated from high school in 1940. She received her teacher's training for a year at LeMars, Iowa, then returned to Montana.

While teaching at a small country school north of Joplin, Mary met her husband-to-be, Royal Wolery. They were married June 30, 1943, at Grace Church near the Suckow homestead. They made their home on the Wolery farm and began raising a family of three. Royal was diagnosed with leukemia, and he died on May 9, 1952.

Mary and the children began traveling to and from Arizona in the winter months. She finally settled in Mesa, where she met and married an Arizona man in 1960. The marriage ended in 1988.

Mary remained in Arizona until a year ago, when she moved to the Sweetgrass Lodge Retirement Center in Chester to be near family and friends. Although she had heart surgery 15 years ago, her recent health had been relatively good.

Mary enjoyed many hobbies throughout her life. She was an excellent seamstress and did alterations on a contractual basis for a dress shop in Arizona for several years. She also enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She was an avid reader who enjoyed a diversity of books. In her quiet time at home, Mary wrote her personal thoughts and poetry. She loved to bake and enjoyed her role as mother and homemaker. She always took pride in her home and her personal appearance. She loved to travel and one of her most memorable trips was to the Holy Land in the 1990s. She also enjoyed quick trips to her favorite shopping place, Wal-Mart. She appreciated nature and the simple things in life, like a golden wheat field or a beautiful sunset.

Mary's Christian faith was generally strong throughout her life. In her youth, she attended the Grace Evangelical Church near the farm. During her years in Arizona, she was active in various church congregations. Since moving to Chester, she was a loyal and enthusiastic member of the Alliance Church, where she was generous with every fundraiser, provided food for families in need, and volunteering to serve as a mission host-family.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband; parents; daughter, Joy Pearson in 2003; and sisters, Catherine Suckow and Alfreda Weidenaar.

Survivors include her children, Mark (Ruth) Wolery of Nashville, Tenn., Dale (Sara) Wolery of Joplin and Marlene (Ray) Pritchard of Oak Park, Ill.; sister, Caroline Hall of Inverness; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials will be given to the Alliance Church.

Arrangements are by Rockman Funeral Chapel of Chester.