Miss Mary Barrett was the 7th of 15 children born to Arthur and Lydia Ann ( Hess ) Barrett.

Mary was born on January 7, 1885 in Humboldt, Allen County, Kansas.

The family returned to Illinois when Mary was 5 years old. They first lived in Fulton County for a short while, then they moved to one mile south of Doddsville, into Schuyler County, Illinois.

She met and then married Marion Elmer Plank on December 10, 1908 at Littleton, Schuyler County, Illinois.

Marion had originally been a resident of Garden City, Cass County, Missouri, but had moved to the Scotland Township area when he was 19 years old. After Mary & He were married, they bought a farm one mile north of Doddsville, Illinois.

To this union were born 3 children :
Vera Albert Plank ( Kellum )
Gail Melvin Plank
Mildred Irene Plank ( Holmes )

Mary was a partner in the farm with her Husband, Marion. She raised a large garden & canned many an item for use during the cold winter months.

She was as industrious as her husband and kept quite busy in raising three children, caring for the household & attending the Doddsville Methodist Church.

Mary became ill in 1935 and a 28 pound Cancerous tumor was surgically removed from her abdomen. Her Father Arthur Barrett, had died from Stomach Cancer in 1910. Mary's health continued to fail and she passed away on February 17, 1938.

Funeral services were held at the Doddsville Methodist Episcopal Church on February 19, 1938.
The Rev. Jessie Tharp officiating, with interment at the Doddsville Cemetery.

She leaves her Husband and three children : Mrs. Vera ( Kenneth ) Kellum, Mr. Gail Plank and Mrs. Irene ( Gerald ) Holmes ;also surviving are her mother, Mrs. Anna Barrett of Colchester and the following brothers & sisters : Charles, Enos, Lewis, Arthur, Henry, Albert & John ; Mrs. Cora Butterfield, Mrs. Minnie Beckhem, Mrs. Caroline Curtis & Mrs. Ethel Johnson.

One brother, Glenn and two sisters Ella & Maud died in infancy.

Mrs. Plank had been a member of the Doddsville Methodist Episcopal Church for the past 18 years.

Clugston Funeral Home in Macomb is in charge of the services.