Mary V. Stephens

Mary V. Stephens, 106, of Mexico, died at 5:27 p.m., Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the Kings Daughters Home in Mexico where she had been a resident since May 14, 1984.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m., at Pickering Funeral Home with the Rev. Randall Sawyer officiating. Visitation will be Monday from 6 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Park. Serving as pallbearers will be Megan, Lucas, Matthew and Caleb Chaney, Robert Marietta, and Ellen Wilson. Honorary pallbearers will be four long-time nurses, Sandy Albus, Beverly Picton, Angsna Samples and Marilyn Smith.

Mary Viola Stephens was born July 15, 1901, in Shelbyville Illinois, to John H. and Nora Carpenter Hebel. She and her family moved to Audrain County, Missouri in 1907, where she graduated from Sneed School, McMillan High School, Hardin College, and attended Missouri University. She taught school in Audrain and Callaway counties, Auxvasse and Vandalia.

May 25, 1928, she married Emmett G. Stephens, who preceded her in death on February 26, 1977. Also, preceding her are one son, John Joseph, one grandson, Stanley Chaney, two great-grandsons, a great-granddaughter, three brothers, Orvil, Homer, and John Hebel and two sisters, Pearl Ravenscraft and Mae Archer.

She was member of the Liberty Christian Church of Thompson, where she taught a class for thirty-five years and served as an Elder. She was also a member of Retired Teachers, Whatsoever Kings Daughters Circle and a charter member of the Friendly Northerners Extension Club.

Survivors include one daughter, Ruth (Gerald) Chaney; one son Harold (Donna) Stephens; four grandchildren, Marjory (Phil) Mathis, Moberly, Stephen (Colleen) Chaney, Raleigh, NC, Melissa Stephens, Jefferson City, Darinda (J.D.) Mast, Centralia; six great-grandchildren; and one sister Helen Huelster of Waynesville, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Liberty Christian Church, or King s Daughters Home in Mexico. Memorials may be sent in care of Pickering Funeral Home, 403 N. Western, Mexico, MO 65265.