Obituary for Mary Annettie Chase
A
Celebration of Life for Mary Chase, 97, will be Thursday, May 2, 2019
at 10:30 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton. Family will
receive friends prior to the service beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment
will be at the Russell Cemetery. A luncheon will be held following the
burial at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the
First Baptist Church in Russell or to Westhaven Community in Boone,
Iowa.
Mary Annettie (Odell) Chase was born in Seward, Nebraska,
on May 28, 1921 to John William and Zenobia (Lynn) Odell. She died on
April 26, 2019 at Westhaven Community in Boone, Iowa.
Mary's
mother passed away on December 30, 1928 after giving birth to a son and a
bout of pneumonia. The son, Marvin Lansing Odell died shortly after
birth. Mary was 7 years old at the time. She and her sister, Bessie May
Odell, and brother, Frederick William Odell were brought to Russell,
Iowa by their father by train on February 22, 1929. The sisters stayed
with the Robert Lynn's in Russell, Iowa and Fred with Harold and Alta
Horner of rural Russell, Iowa. After a few years Fred went back to
Seward to live. A few years passed then the girls' sister, Caroline,
also came to stay with Mrs. Lynn. Mrs. Lynn's husband, Robert, had died
just a year after the children's mother.
Mary started school in
Seward, Nebraska, and graduated from Russell High School in 1939. She
earned the honor of class valedictorian with a lot of hard study and
determination. She wanted to do something that would please and bring
honor to her Aunt Nora Lynn, who worked very hard to raise Mary and her
two sisters after the death of their mother, Zenobia. After high school
she attended summer school at Cedar Falls, Iowa, to update her teaching
certificate. She taught in the Lucas County rural schools for 5 years.
Her summer jobs varied. She was a companion to an elderly lady in
Russell, Iowa; an egg breaker at Swift and Company in Des Moines; and a
box factory worker in Moline, Illinois.
Mary gave her heart to
the Lord at about the age of 12 in 1933. (Rev. Archie Beals was pastor.)
She was a member of the Russell Baptist Church in Russell for many
years. She served in several capacities in her church for many years.
She served as a Sunday school pianist during her teen years, was a Bible
School Teacher, and a Young People's teacher assistant. For several
years she wrote a Christian Chatter column for the First Baptist
bulletin. Mary volunteered at the Lucas County Historical Museum,
delivered Meals on Wheels, volunteered at the Chariton Manor with the
games and activities, and worked at the Ministry Center.
On May
7, 1944, Mary was united in marriage to Arthur LeRoy Chase of rural
Russell. Arthur was the son of Robert and Stella Chase. Arthur and Mary
made their home on a farm south of Russell for many years. Mary was a
dutiful wife, raised a large garden, raised chickens, and gathered and
washed more eggs than most of us will ever see. She also patched many
pairs of overalls for the men of the family. She was a wonderful
homemaker and mother known for her brownies, rolls, and jello salads.
Her hobbies included reading, genealogy, crocheting, writing, and
crafting for the grandchildren. She liked walking, traveling, and
camping with Arthur. She taught herself to use the computer for her
genealogy work, keeping a diary, and e-mailing family and friends.
After 23 years, when Arthur quit farming and started working at the
Chariton Wholesale Grocery Warehouse, they moved to Chariton. Arthur and
Mary had nearly 48 wonderful wedded years together until the Lord took
Arthur home to be with his Savior on February 25, 1992. Mary felt that
being committed to her family and raising three thoughtful children was a
great accomplishment. The credit for rearing her children should go to
the Lord for His guidance and help, and also to their father who
influenced them by his fine Christian teaching and examples.
Mary and Arthur had four children: Robert LeRoy (Barbara Sibert) Chase,
Larry Dean (Linda Cottrell) Chase, twins: Eileen Loree (John) Hall and
Darlene Marie Chase (deceased August 16, 1949); six grandchildren:
Teresa (Rodney) Smiley, Thad (Mikki) Chase, Michelle (Dave) Hyman,
Brenda (Brian) Kotewa, Terri (Brian) Shuster, and Jerri (Scott) Pearson;
14 great grandchildren: Brea Smiley, Jacob Smiley, Cortney Hyman,
Matthew Hyman, Branden Hyman, Julia Kotewa, Gabriel Kotewa, Lyndsay
Shuster, Grant Shuster, Collin Pearson, Chloe Pearson, Ryland Pearson,
Jozey Chase, and Carter Chase. Mary also considered Stacy Jones and her
children Ariel and Brady as grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Survivors include her three children, grandchildren, and great
grandchildren; brother, Frederick Odell; sister, Caroline (Walter)
Faulconer; as well as many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by: parents, John and Zenobia Odell;
husband, Arthur LeRoy Chase; daughter, Darlene Marie Chase; brother and
sister-in-law, John Robert and Nellie Marie Odell; brother, Marvin
Lansing Odell; sister and brother-in-law, Bessie and Dwight Rawlins; and
sisters-in-law, Grace Moss Odell and Virginia Querrey Odell.
