DECATUR On May 11, 2005, Mary Elizabeth Stookey Owen, widow of Decatur lawyer Robert Dale Owen, daughter of Marshall Childs and Mildred Wilkinson Stookey, and daughter-in-law of Roy Pearl and Pearl Gebhart Owen followed her husband, parents, parents-in-law, sister Margaret Stookey Hurst, and brother Daniel Stookey to live in our memories.
Born in 1916 in a Harristown kitchen, Mary Elizabeth grew up with her parents, three sisters, and brother amid the healthy environment of The Homestead, the family's farm. There, Ibby developed a life-long love of and appreciation for reading, nature, music, and tennis. She commuted to Decatur for high school and later attended James Millikin University, where she met her husband to be, became a member of Alpha Chi Omega, and graduated. Until she married Bob before his World War II service in the Pacific as a lieutenant in World War II, Mary taught elementary school.
During their lives together, Mary Elizabeth and Bob had four children who formed the core of their busy lives. Mary enjoyed the beauty of nature, gardening at their home, and sharing with her children her love of birds and wildflowers. While providing a wonderful home for Bob and their children, she devoted thousands of hours to serving the Decatur community as a Girl Scout troop leader, a Cub Scout den mother, a member of the Decatur Auxiliary, and an election judge.
Mary's greatest contribution, though, lay in her lifelong passion for sharing her love of reading with those who had not yet entered the enchanted world of reading. She volunteered teaching young children to read in the Head Start program long before the program was fully funded. She next spent years helping school aged children with their reading problems. As the years went by, she helped people of all ages to master the skill of reading. In her later years, Mary kept this work up focusing on adults. Even Bob's death did not stop Mary's commitment to service. Continuing to volunteer long after her seventieth birthday, Mary was honored by Project READ for her many hours teaching adults how to read.
Mary was active in many local organizations, including Lawyers' Wives, PEO, and Study Class. Many will remember her avid interest in history and her scholarly presentations on a wide variety of topics at Study Class for over forty years. She privately collected, edited, and published the Civil War letters of her progenitor Captain James Monroe Stookey, making a significant contribution to the Illinois State Historical Museum. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church for over fifty years where she especially enjoyed worship through music.
Together, Mary and Bob enjoyed bridge and Great Books with their friends for several decades. They played tennis together for nearly fifty years, interrupted only by Bob's World War II service and ending only shortly before his death in 1989. They traveled extensively to every continent except Antarctica. Due to Bob's role in Democratic politics, they attended President John F. Kennedy's inauguration and inaugural ball.
Mary Elizabeth is survived by her sisters Nancy Hunter of Pied A Terre, Maryland, and Marcia Cole of Harris town and her four children and their spouses Dr. David A. and AnnEtte Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ann Pearl Owen and Gregory Hanson of Seattle, Washington; Daniel Peter Owen and Lillian Vucinic of Carbondale, Illinois; and Robert M. and Kathleen Ferry Owen of Decatur. Mary Elizabeth's fourteen grandchildren and their spouses mourn her passing Julie Owen Hanft and Joshua Hanft of Parkland, Florida; Steve and Janna Owen of Pembroke Pines, Florida; Jeffery Owen and Christopher Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ursula Owen, Max Kingsbury, John Hanson, Catharine Hanson, Stuart Owen and Rose lie Kingsbury of Seattle, Washington; John Spomer and Joseph Owen of Decatur; and Nikolas Nathan Owen of Carbondale, Illinois. During her latter years, Mary was delighted with the birth of and visits from her great grandchild, Elijah Hanft of Parkland, Florida.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge the loving care and companionship Kathleen Owen gave her mother-in-law Mary over the last years of her life during many health challenges. Over those years, Mary also received devoted attention and companionship provided by her son Robert. Visitation will be at the Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street facility from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16th. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 17th at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will follow in Fairlawn Cemetery.
Though she dearly loved flowers, the family encourages donations in her memory to Project READ, to the Decatur Public Library, or to First United Methodist Church to continue Mary's devotion to helping others. Obituary written by family members.
Obituary in the Decatur Herald & Review
May 14, 2005, Page D3
Contributor: WDHardy (48297823) • [email protected]
Born in 1916 in a Harristown kitchen, Mary Elizabeth grew up with her parents, three sisters, and brother amid the healthy environment of The Homestead, the family's farm. There, Ibby developed a life-long love of and appreciation for reading, nature, music, and tennis. She commuted to Decatur for high school and later attended James Millikin University, where she met her husband to be, became a member of Alpha Chi Omega, and graduated. Until she married Bob before his World War II service in the Pacific as a lieutenant in World War II, Mary taught elementary school.
During their lives together, Mary Elizabeth and Bob had four children who formed the core of their busy lives. Mary enjoyed the beauty of nature, gardening at their home, and sharing with her children her love of birds and wildflowers. While providing a wonderful home for Bob and their children, she devoted thousands of hours to serving the Decatur community as a Girl Scout troop leader, a Cub Scout den mother, a member of the Decatur Auxiliary, and an election judge.
Mary's greatest contribution, though, lay in her lifelong passion for sharing her love of reading with those who had not yet entered the enchanted world of reading. She volunteered teaching young children to read in the Head Start program long before the program was fully funded. She next spent years helping school aged children with their reading problems. As the years went by, she helped people of all ages to master the skill of reading. In her later years, Mary kept this work up focusing on adults. Even Bob's death did not stop Mary's commitment to service. Continuing to volunteer long after her seventieth birthday, Mary was honored by Project READ for her many hours teaching adults how to read.
Mary was active in many local organizations, including Lawyers' Wives, PEO, and Study Class. Many will remember her avid interest in history and her scholarly presentations on a wide variety of topics at Study Class for over forty years. She privately collected, edited, and published the Civil War letters of her progenitor Captain James Monroe Stookey, making a significant contribution to the Illinois State Historical Museum. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church for over fifty years where she especially enjoyed worship through music.
Together, Mary and Bob enjoyed bridge and Great Books with their friends for several decades. They played tennis together for nearly fifty years, interrupted only by Bob's World War II service and ending only shortly before his death in 1989. They traveled extensively to every continent except Antarctica. Due to Bob's role in Democratic politics, they attended President John F. Kennedy's inauguration and inaugural ball.
Mary Elizabeth is survived by her sisters Nancy Hunter of Pied A Terre, Maryland, and Marcia Cole of Harris town and her four children and their spouses Dr. David A. and AnnEtte Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ann Pearl Owen and Gregory Hanson of Seattle, Washington; Daniel Peter Owen and Lillian Vucinic of Carbondale, Illinois; and Robert M. and Kathleen Ferry Owen of Decatur. Mary Elizabeth's fourteen grandchildren and their spouses mourn her passing Julie Owen Hanft and Joshua Hanft of Parkland, Florida; Steve and Janna Owen of Pembroke Pines, Florida; Jeffery Owen and Christopher Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ursula Owen, Max Kingsbury, John Hanson, Catharine Hanson, Stuart Owen and Rose lie Kingsbury of Seattle, Washington; John Spomer and Joseph Owen of Decatur; and Nikolas Nathan Owen of Carbondale, Illinois. During her latter years, Mary was delighted with the birth of and visits from her great grandchild, Elijah Hanft of Parkland, Florida.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge the loving care and companionship Kathleen Owen gave her mother-in-law Mary over the last years of her life during many health challenges. Over those years, Mary also received devoted attention and companionship provided by her son Robert. Visitation will be at the Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street facility from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16th. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 17th at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will follow in Fairlawn Cemetery.
Though she dearly loved flowers, the family encourages donations in her memory to Project READ, to the Decatur Public Library, or to First United Methodist Church to continue Mary's devotion to helping others. Obituary written by family members.
Obituary in the Decatur Herald & Review
May 14, 2005, Page D3
Contributor: WDHardy (48297823) • [email protected]
DECATUR On May 11, 2005, Mary Elizabeth Stookey Owen, widow of Decatur lawyer Robert Dale Owen, daughter of Marshall Childs and Mildred Wilkinson Stookey, and daughter-in-law of Roy Pearl and Pearl Gebhart Owen followed her husband, parents, parents-in-law, sister Margaret Stookey Hurst, and brother Daniel Stookey to live in our memories.
Born in 1916 in a Harristown kitchen, Mary Elizabeth grew up with her parents, three sisters, and brother amid the healthy environment of The Homestead, the family's farm. There, Ibby developed a life-long love of and appreciation for reading, nature, music, and tennis. She commuted to Decatur for high school and later attended James Millikin University, where she met her husband to be, became a member of Alpha Chi Omega, and graduated. Until she married Bob before his World War II service in the Pacific as a lieutenant in World War II, Mary taught elementary school.
During their lives together, Mary Elizabeth and Bob had four children who formed the core of their busy lives. Mary enjoyed the beauty of nature, gardening at their home, and sharing with her children her love of birds and wildflowers. While providing a wonderful home for Bob and their children, she devoted thousands of hours to serving the Decatur community as a Girl Scout troop leader, a Cub Scout den mother, a member of the Decatur Auxiliary, and an election judge.
Mary's greatest contribution, though, lay in her lifelong passion for sharing her love of reading with those who had not yet entered the enchanted world of reading. She volunteered teaching young children to read in the Head Start program long before the program was fully funded. She next spent years helping school aged children with their reading problems. As the years went by, she helped people of all ages to master the skill of reading. In her later years, Mary kept this work up focusing on adults. Even Bob's death did not stop Mary's commitment to service. Continuing to volunteer long after her seventieth birthday, Mary was honored by Project READ for her many hours teaching adults how to read.
Mary was active in many local organizations, including Lawyers' Wives, PEO, and Study Class. Many will remember her avid interest in history and her scholarly presentations on a wide variety of topics at Study Class for over forty years. She privately collected, edited, and published the Civil War letters of her progenitor Captain James Monroe Stookey, making a significant contribution to the Illinois State Historical Museum. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church for over fifty years where she especially enjoyed worship through music.
Together, Mary and Bob enjoyed bridge and Great Books with their friends for several decades. They played tennis together for nearly fifty years, interrupted only by Bob's World War II service and ending only shortly before his death in 1989. They traveled extensively to every continent except Antarctica. Due to Bob's role in Democratic politics, they attended President John F. Kennedy's inauguration and inaugural ball.
Mary Elizabeth is survived by her sisters Nancy Hunter of Pied A Terre, Maryland, and Marcia Cole of Harris town and her four children and their spouses Dr. David A. and AnnEtte Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ann Pearl Owen and Gregory Hanson of Seattle, Washington; Daniel Peter Owen and Lillian Vucinic of Carbondale, Illinois; and Robert M. and Kathleen Ferry Owen of Decatur. Mary Elizabeth's fourteen grandchildren and their spouses mourn her passing Julie Owen Hanft and Joshua Hanft of Parkland, Florida; Steve and Janna Owen of Pembroke Pines, Florida; Jeffery Owen and Christopher Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ursula Owen, Max Kingsbury, John Hanson, Catharine Hanson, Stuart Owen and Rose lie Kingsbury of Seattle, Washington; John Spomer and Joseph Owen of Decatur; and Nikolas Nathan Owen of Carbondale, Illinois. During her latter years, Mary was delighted with the birth of and visits from her great grandchild, Elijah Hanft of Parkland, Florida.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge the loving care and companionship Kathleen Owen gave her mother-in-law Mary over the last years of her life during many health challenges. Over those years, Mary also received devoted attention and companionship provided by her son Robert. Visitation will be at the Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street facility from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16th. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 17th at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will follow in Fairlawn Cemetery.
Though she dearly loved flowers, the family encourages donations in her memory to Project READ, to the Decatur Public Library, or to First United Methodist Church to continue Mary's devotion to helping others. Obituary written by family members.
Obituary in the Decatur Herald & Review
May 14, 2005, Page D3
Contributor: WDHardy (48297823) • [email protected]
Born in 1916 in a Harristown kitchen, Mary Elizabeth grew up with her parents, three sisters, and brother amid the healthy environment of The Homestead, the family's farm. There, Ibby developed a life-long love of and appreciation for reading, nature, music, and tennis. She commuted to Decatur for high school and later attended James Millikin University, where she met her husband to be, became a member of Alpha Chi Omega, and graduated. Until she married Bob before his World War II service in the Pacific as a lieutenant in World War II, Mary taught elementary school.
During their lives together, Mary Elizabeth and Bob had four children who formed the core of their busy lives. Mary enjoyed the beauty of nature, gardening at their home, and sharing with her children her love of birds and wildflowers. While providing a wonderful home for Bob and their children, she devoted thousands of hours to serving the Decatur community as a Girl Scout troop leader, a Cub Scout den mother, a member of the Decatur Auxiliary, and an election judge.
Mary's greatest contribution, though, lay in her lifelong passion for sharing her love of reading with those who had not yet entered the enchanted world of reading. She volunteered teaching young children to read in the Head Start program long before the program was fully funded. She next spent years helping school aged children with their reading problems. As the years went by, she helped people of all ages to master the skill of reading. In her later years, Mary kept this work up focusing on adults. Even Bob's death did not stop Mary's commitment to service. Continuing to volunteer long after her seventieth birthday, Mary was honored by Project READ for her many hours teaching adults how to read.
Mary was active in many local organizations, including Lawyers' Wives, PEO, and Study Class. Many will remember her avid interest in history and her scholarly presentations on a wide variety of topics at Study Class for over forty years. She privately collected, edited, and published the Civil War letters of her progenitor Captain James Monroe Stookey, making a significant contribution to the Illinois State Historical Museum. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church for over fifty years where she especially enjoyed worship through music.
Together, Mary and Bob enjoyed bridge and Great Books with their friends for several decades. They played tennis together for nearly fifty years, interrupted only by Bob's World War II service and ending only shortly before his death in 1989. They traveled extensively to every continent except Antarctica. Due to Bob's role in Democratic politics, they attended President John F. Kennedy's inauguration and inaugural ball.
Mary Elizabeth is survived by her sisters Nancy Hunter of Pied A Terre, Maryland, and Marcia Cole of Harris town and her four children and their spouses Dr. David A. and AnnEtte Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ann Pearl Owen and Gregory Hanson of Seattle, Washington; Daniel Peter Owen and Lillian Vucinic of Carbondale, Illinois; and Robert M. and Kathleen Ferry Owen of Decatur. Mary Elizabeth's fourteen grandchildren and their spouses mourn her passing Julie Owen Hanft and Joshua Hanft of Parkland, Florida; Steve and Janna Owen of Pembroke Pines, Florida; Jeffery Owen and Christopher Owen of Murray, Kentucky; Ursula Owen, Max Kingsbury, John Hanson, Catharine Hanson, Stuart Owen and Rose lie Kingsbury of Seattle, Washington; John Spomer and Joseph Owen of Decatur; and Nikolas Nathan Owen of Carbondale, Illinois. During her latter years, Mary was delighted with the birth of and visits from her great grandchild, Elijah Hanft of Parkland, Florida.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge the loving care and companionship Kathleen Owen gave her mother-in-law Mary over the last years of her life during many health challenges. Over those years, Mary also received devoted attention and companionship provided by her son Robert. Visitation will be at the Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street facility from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16th. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 17th at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will follow in Fairlawn Cemetery.
Though she dearly loved flowers, the family encourages donations in her memory to Project READ, to the Decatur Public Library, or to First United Methodist Church to continue Mary's devotion to helping others. Obituary written by family members.
Obituary in the Decatur Herald & Review
May 14, 2005, Page D3
Contributor: WDHardy (48297823) • [email protected]
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