Biography
Mary Lena Gray, age 99, surrounded by family and friends, died peacefully and went home to be with her Lord on February 11, 2016, at the Lutheran Home in Davenport, Iowa. She was born on September 19, 1916, the oldest child of Adolph Eggers and Lena Schoon Eggers, in Amber, Iowa. As a youth, she attended Wayne Zion Lutheran Church near Monticello, Iowa, and grew up in Amber, the oldest of 5 siblings. She met a handsome young man from Anamosa, John Gray, and married him on June 22, 1937, and lived in Center Junction for over 70 years where they raised their four children. In later years, John and Mary travelled to Donna, Texas, to vacation during the winter months where they established new friendships and thoroughly enjoyed the game of shuffleboard with other residents. Though a rather solitary person, Mary loved her family deeply and was always ready to help out when she could.
During her lifetime, Mary was very involved in organizing and cooking for community events. She and her husband John were also active members in their church, Center Junction Presbyterian, where she taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and was treasurer of United Presbyterian Women for over 40 years.
Mary, a lifelong gardener, even into her later years enjoyed starting plants from seed and watching them grow into seedlings ready for the garden. She maintained for years two large vegetable gardens that provided food for her and her family. Endless hours were spent canning and freezing vegetables used in cooking delicious meals for the coming winter months. Her scrumptious homemade breads and pies were well known; her loaves of bread brought considerable and much-needed funds at church harvest auctions.
Mary also loved her cars, which she cleaned and waxed on a regular basis. She even tried her hand at minor bodywork quite successfully on one of the family cars. Reading novels, especially Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour westerns, was also a favorite pastime.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband John of 67 years, her daughter Barbara Reid and her siblings, twin sisters, Irene Alyea and Lorene Vacek, and brothers Louis Eggers and Harold Eggers.
Survivors include her children, son Jack and wife Linda (Frank), Linda Sonner and husband Ron, and Donna Leiting and husband Tom. Grandchildren include Bruce Gray and wife Brooke, Ryan Gray and wife Dina, Teresa Alexander and husband Will, Jason Reid and wife Cindy, John Sonner, David Sonner and wife Chrisy, Laura White and husband Zach, and Katie Schouten and husband Will. Greatgrandchildren are Amelia Gray, Samantha and Gabriel Alexander, Ethan and Elizabeth Mary Gray, Evan Reid, Grayson Ferdinand, and Luke Schouten.
In addition to family, Mary left behind friends that she had made in her years as a resident at Grand Haven Retirement Center in Eldridge and her final years at the Lutheran Home in Davenport.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 Tuesday morning, February 16, 2016 at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello with interment in the North Madison Pioneer Cemetery. Pastor Pat Halverson will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 7 Monday at the Goettsch Funeral Home.
Mary Lena Gray, age 99, surrounded by family and friends, died peacefully and went home to be with her Lord on February 11, 2016, at the Lutheran Home in Davenport, Iowa. She was born on September 19, 1916, the oldest child of Adolph Eggers and Lena Schoon Eggers, in Amber, Iowa. As a youth, she attended Wayne Zion Lutheran Church near Monticello, Iowa, and grew up in Amber, the oldest of 5 siblings. She met a handsome young man from Anamosa, John Gray, and married him on June 22, 1937, and lived in Center Junction for over 70 years where they raised their four children. In later years, John and Mary travelled to Donna, Texas, to vacation during the winter months where they established new friendships and thoroughly enjoyed the game of shuffleboard with other residents. Though a rather solitary person, Mary loved her family deeply and was always ready to help out when she could.
During her lifetime, Mary was very involved in organizing and cooking for community events. She and her husband John were also active members in their church, Center Junction Presbyterian, where she taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and was treasurer of United Presbyterian Women for over 40 years.
Mary, a lifelong gardener, even into her later years enjoyed starting plants from seed and watching them grow into seedlings ready for the garden. She maintained for years two large vegetable gardens that provided food for her and her family. Endless hours were spent canning and freezing vegetables used in cooking delicious meals for the coming winter months. Her scrumptious homemade breads and pies were well known; her loaves of bread brought considerable and much-needed funds at church harvest auctions.
Mary also loved her cars, which she cleaned and waxed on a regular basis. She even tried her hand at minor bodywork quite successfully on one of the family cars. Reading novels, especially Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour westerns, was also a favorite pastime.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband John of 67 years, her daughter Barbara Reid and her siblings, twin sisters, Irene Alyea and Lorene Vacek, and brothers Louis Eggers and Harold Eggers.
Survivors include her children, son Jack and wife Linda (Frank), Linda Sonner and husband Ron, and Donna Leiting and husband Tom. Grandchildren include Bruce Gray and wife Brooke, Ryan Gray and wife Dina, Teresa Alexander and husband Will, Jason Reid and wife Cindy, John Sonner, David Sonner and wife Chrisy, Laura White and husband Zach, and Katie Schouten and husband Will. Greatgrandchildren are Amelia Gray, Samantha and Gabriel Alexander, Ethan and Elizabeth Mary Gray, Evan Reid, Grayson Ferdinand, and Luke Schouten.
In addition to family, Mary left behind friends that she had made in her years as a resident at Grand Haven Retirement Center in Eldridge and her final years at the Lutheran Home in Davenport.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 Tuesday morning, February 16, 2016 at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello with interment in the North Madison Pioneer Cemetery. Pastor Pat Halverson will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 7 Monday at the Goettsch Funeral Home.
Biography
Mary Lena Gray, age 99, surrounded by family and friends, died peacefully and went home to be with her Lord on February 11, 2016, at the Lutheran Home in Davenport, Iowa. She was born on September 19, 1916, the oldest child of Adolph Eggers and Lena Schoon Eggers, in Amber, Iowa. As a youth, she attended Wayne Zion Lutheran Church near Monticello, Iowa, and grew up in Amber, the oldest of 5 siblings. She met a handsome young man from Anamosa, John Gray, and married him on June 22, 1937, and lived in Center Junction for over 70 years where they raised their four children. In later years, John and Mary travelled to Donna, Texas, to vacation during the winter months where they established new friendships and thoroughly enjoyed the game of shuffleboard with other residents. Though a rather solitary person, Mary loved her family deeply and was always ready to help out when she could.
During her lifetime, Mary was very involved in organizing and cooking for community events. She and her husband John were also active members in their church, Center Junction Presbyterian, where she taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and was treasurer of United Presbyterian Women for over 40 years.
Mary, a lifelong gardener, even into her later years enjoyed starting plants from seed and watching them grow into seedlings ready for the garden. She maintained for years two large vegetable gardens that provided food for her and her family. Endless hours were spent canning and freezing vegetables used in cooking delicious meals for the coming winter months. Her scrumptious homemade breads and pies were well known; her loaves of bread brought considerable and much-needed funds at church harvest auctions.
Mary also loved her cars, which she cleaned and waxed on a regular basis. She even tried her hand at minor bodywork quite successfully on one of the family cars. Reading novels, especially Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour westerns, was also a favorite pastime.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband John of 67 years, her daughter Barbara Reid and her siblings, twin sisters, Irene Alyea and Lorene Vacek, and brothers Louis Eggers and Harold Eggers.
Survivors include her children, son Jack and wife Linda (Frank), Linda Sonner and husband Ron, and Donna Leiting and husband Tom. Grandchildren include Bruce Gray and wife Brooke, Ryan Gray and wife Dina, Teresa Alexander and husband Will, Jason Reid and wife Cindy, John Sonner, David Sonner and wife Chrisy, Laura White and husband Zach, and Katie Schouten and husband Will. Greatgrandchildren are Amelia Gray, Samantha and Gabriel Alexander, Ethan and Elizabeth Mary Gray, Evan Reid, Grayson Ferdinand, and Luke Schouten.
In addition to family, Mary left behind friends that she had made in her years as a resident at Grand Haven Retirement Center in Eldridge and her final years at the Lutheran Home in Davenport.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 Tuesday morning, February 16, 2016 at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello with interment in the North Madison Pioneer Cemetery. Pastor Pat Halverson will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 7 Monday at the Goettsch Funeral Home.
Mary Lena Gray, age 99, surrounded by family and friends, died peacefully and went home to be with her Lord on February 11, 2016, at the Lutheran Home in Davenport, Iowa. She was born on September 19, 1916, the oldest child of Adolph Eggers and Lena Schoon Eggers, in Amber, Iowa. As a youth, she attended Wayne Zion Lutheran Church near Monticello, Iowa, and grew up in Amber, the oldest of 5 siblings. She met a handsome young man from Anamosa, John Gray, and married him on June 22, 1937, and lived in Center Junction for over 70 years where they raised their four children. In later years, John and Mary travelled to Donna, Texas, to vacation during the winter months where they established new friendships and thoroughly enjoyed the game of shuffleboard with other residents. Though a rather solitary person, Mary loved her family deeply and was always ready to help out when she could.
During her lifetime, Mary was very involved in organizing and cooking for community events. She and her husband John were also active members in their church, Center Junction Presbyterian, where she taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and was treasurer of United Presbyterian Women for over 40 years.
Mary, a lifelong gardener, even into her later years enjoyed starting plants from seed and watching them grow into seedlings ready for the garden. She maintained for years two large vegetable gardens that provided food for her and her family. Endless hours were spent canning and freezing vegetables used in cooking delicious meals for the coming winter months. Her scrumptious homemade breads and pies were well known; her loaves of bread brought considerable and much-needed funds at church harvest auctions.
Mary also loved her cars, which she cleaned and waxed on a regular basis. She even tried her hand at minor bodywork quite successfully on one of the family cars. Reading novels, especially Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour westerns, was also a favorite pastime.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband John of 67 years, her daughter Barbara Reid and her siblings, twin sisters, Irene Alyea and Lorene Vacek, and brothers Louis Eggers and Harold Eggers.
Survivors include her children, son Jack and wife Linda (Frank), Linda Sonner and husband Ron, and Donna Leiting and husband Tom. Grandchildren include Bruce Gray and wife Brooke, Ryan Gray and wife Dina, Teresa Alexander and husband Will, Jason Reid and wife Cindy, John Sonner, David Sonner and wife Chrisy, Laura White and husband Zach, and Katie Schouten and husband Will. Greatgrandchildren are Amelia Gray, Samantha and Gabriel Alexander, Ethan and Elizabeth Mary Gray, Evan Reid, Grayson Ferdinand, and Luke Schouten.
In addition to family, Mary left behind friends that she had made in her years as a resident at Grand Haven Retirement Center in Eldridge and her final years at the Lutheran Home in Davenport.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 Tuesday morning, February 16, 2016 at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello with interment in the North Madison Pioneer Cemetery. Pastor Pat Halverson will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 7 Monday at the Goettsch Funeral Home.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
