Mary Louise McHugh, age 84, of Springfield, Mo., passed away at 1:50 p.m. Saturday, November 10, 2007, in Maranatha Village. She was born January 5, 1923, in Granger, Mo., to Earl and Gertrude Brookhart Knight. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Loys Park Gates; second husband, Cecil McHugh; a brother, Donald Lee Knight; a half-sister, Verda Mae Knight; and great-grandchild, Zachary Paul Halferty. Her interests in school included music, choir and clarinet. She taught in a one-room school house for one year, worked in the Kahoka school office, ran her own hobby shop, and provided one-on-one discipleship to young adult women. Her most fulfilling roles were as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Mary displayed compassion and always had words of encouragement for family and friends. Her life on this Earth was marked with a deep commitment to Christian faith and desire for others to have faith in Christ. Mary is survived by two daughters, Mary Ann Harshman of Springfield, Mo., and Nancy Lee Kelly and husband, Carl, of Hollister, Mo.; a son, Paul Nelson Gates and wife, Joyce, of Washington, Iowa. She is also survived by her grandchildren and their families, Sam Halferty of Chicago, Ill., Don Halferty, DJ, Dana and Molly of Mason City, Iowa, Kirby and Valerie Halferty, Josh, Emily and Jack of Mechanicsville, Va., Paula and Tony Smallwood, Brittany and Jordan of Springfield, Mo., Robin and Kevin Craig, Morgan and Hunter of Ainsworth, Iowa, Rhonda Gates of Washington, Iowa, Carla and Jason Bradley, Craigon and Jacie of Harrison, Ark., Patrick and Rebecca Kelly, Kerrig, Dane and Alice of Siloam Springs, Ark. The family would like to give special thanks to Maranatha Village and Season's Hospice for the exceptional care and concern they provided. Visitation will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday November 13, 2007, in Maranatha Chapel with a service to follow at 10 a.m. with the Chaplain Smiley officiating, under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel. Burial will be in Kahoka Cemetery, Missouri, Wednesday November 14, 2007, at 10 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Maranatha Village, 223 E. Norton Rd., Springfield, MO 65803 or Season's Hospice, 1345 E. Kingsley, Springfield, MO 65804.
(Contributor: Juanita Sloan Lowrance)