Atkinson Funeral Home Mary Irene Garner passed away at Cass County Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, February 18, after prolonged battles with major health issues. She was a three-time survivor of cancer. She was born on Thanksgiving Day - November 26, 1925, in Saline County, Missouri, to John and Molly Petermann, and was the youngest and last surviving member of six siblings - three brothers and two sisters. Mary was born in the day of the horse and buggy and lived through the Great Depression and World War II, where she lost a brother. She marveled at all the changes she had seen in her lifetime. Miss Mary Petermann graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Missouri, in 1942, then moved to Oregon, where she enjoyed fond memories of working for the Union Pacific Railroad. While there, she married George Panovich and gave birth to her first child, Karen. She later returned to Marshall, where she met and married Charles Benjamin Garner in 1950. Her second child, Alice, was born in Marshall before they moved to Slater, Missouri, in 1952. There she had two more children, Kenn and Tom. Mom Garner served as den mother for the Cub Scouts. Her creativity was expressed in making costumes and props for the school and her children, winning first place in the Halloween/Christmas parade multiple times. After many years working at Town & Country Shoe Factory in Slater, she started work at Marshall State School and Rehabilitation Center in Marshall, Missouri. Rising to a grade of DA-III, she was the night supervisor at the state's largest mental health institution. In 1988, she retired and in 1991, moved to Harrisonville, Missouri to be closer to her children. Mary was known for her wonderful art of crochet and her many gifts of bedspreads, tablecloths, doilies and especially angels. These gifts were just one of many ways in which she touched the lives of those with whom she had contact either directly or indirectly. Some of her angels made it as far as Bulgaria in Eastern Europe. Many people referred to her as 'The Angel Lady'. Mary survived husband Charlie (1914- 1981) and leaves, with love, her four children: Karen Helzer of Peculiar, Missouri; Alice Davis of Mahomet, Illinois; Kenneth Garner of Butler, Missouri; and Thomas Garner of Kansas City, Missouri. She also leaves four grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one grandchild. She died with peace knowing her place under God's care was waiting. Graveside services were held at Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall, Missouri, on Saturday, February 21, 2009, where she joined her husband Charlie. The family requests no flowers; however, contributions in Mary's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or the East Central Illinois Baptist Association Church Starting Fund (c/o ECIBA, 1204 Rolling Hills Drive, Mahomet, IL 61853 or [email protected]).
Published in the Kansas City Star on 2/22/2009