Mary Edna Vath, age 82, of Sutherland, NE, passed away at home surrounded by her family on Friday, March 11, 2016.

Mary was born August 21, 1933, to Cecil and Ombolena Horn at Thune, NE. Mary grew up in Arthur County and Ogallala, NE, where she attended Ogallala Public School for grade school and high school and Arthur County country school for her middle grades.

On August 21, 1951, Mary was united in marriage to Louis Roscoe Vath at St. Luke's Catholic Church in Ogallala. They lived on a farm northwest of Keystone, NE before moving to Sutherland in 1961 where they raised their nine children.

Mary was first and foremost a mother. It wasn't until the children were grown that she did housecleaning for others in the Sutherland area and worked as a janitor at the clinic, library, Adams Bank & Trust, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Rectory, the Thomas Agency and worked as a Stanley Dealer for nearly 20 years. Mary also drove kids from Sutherland to Sarben for the special education class for a year.

Mary was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Altar Society, National Council of Catholic Women, V.F.W. Auxiliary #3755, and when the girls were young she was a Girl Scout Leader. Mary enjoyed doing crafts and crocheting and had made many, many friends over the years. She especially loved her family and was a giving person who always put others first.

She leaves behind her loving husband of nearly 65 years, Louis, of Sutherland; their children, Robert (Janet) Vath and Peggy (Kent) Lenz, of Sutherland, Rita (Dennis) Boyer and Becky Vath, of Loveland, CO, Mary Lou (Berdell) Beisner, of Paxton, NE, and Nancy Vath (fiancé, Bill Ray), of Oberlin, KS; daughter-in-law, Connie Huehl, of Lincoln, KS; 20 grandchildren; 26 great-great-grandchildren; her sister, Violet Anderson, of Hardy, AR; and several nieces, nephews and other family.

Mary is preceded in death by her children, Louis LeRoy and Michael Eugene 'Heavy' Vath and Phyllis Marie Brush; a grandson, Robert 'Bobby' Vath, Jr.; granddaughter, Rebecca Ann Vath; her parents, Cecil Horn and Ombolena Horn Vath; stepfather, Jesse Vath; brothers, Donald Horn and Walter Vath; brother-in-law, Ken Anderson; and her aunt, Carol Shafer.

Rosary Service will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 16, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Celebrant Father Jim Novakowski. Burial will follow in the Riverview Cemetery, south of Sutherland. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.