Mary A. McQueen

Mary A. McQueen, daughter of Ray and Minnie (Zach) Oviatt, was born July 18, 1919, in Shenandoah. She passed away Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, at the MercyOne Newton Medical Center at the age of 100 years, six months and 10 days.

Mary’s early years were spent in Shenandoah, until 1923 when they moved to Council Bluffs. Following the death of her mother in 1929, she moved back to Shenandoah and lived her uncle Ray Stewart and aunt Hazel. She attended country school in Page County and graduated from Shenandoah High School in 1938.

On June 1, 1941, she was united in marriage to Wayland Bradney McQueen at uncle Ray and Aunt Hazel Stewart’s home. They moved to Farragut in 1973 and she moved to Newton in 2003.

Mary enjoyed many full time and part time jobs. Among the favorites were teaching, Sentinel Newspaper and Nishna Productions. The greatest job was babysitting her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a 4-H leader for nine years, a member of the Business and Professional Women and active in her home church. She liked people and to serve on Garden Club and Circle Committee. She enjoyed cooking, traveling, reading, journaling, family activities and attending her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s school events.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Wayland McQueen; great-grandson, Jameson Patrick O’Connor; parents, Ray and Minnie Oviatt, brother, Donavon Oviatt (infant); and sisters, Irma Holland and Darlene Brownell. Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Judie O’Connor of Newton; sons, Bradney McQueen of Harlan and Ronald (Linda) McQueen and Roger (Julie) McQueen, both of Shenandoah; grandchildren, Patrick (Gail) O’Connor of Huxley, Suzy (Craig) Trotter of Newton, Jill (Mark) Owen of Garland, Texas, Amysue (Brad) Hopkey of Cumming, Becci (Mike) Kempf of Harlan, Bre (Gene) Fuhs of Harlan, Ben (Sadee) McQueen of Shenandoah, Bailey (Kolby) Jones of Council Bluffs, Betsy (Derek) Larson of Rockport, Mo., Wayland (Katie) McQueen of Glendale, Calif., and Kelly McQueen of Shenandoah; 16 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren plus one on the way; numerous nieces and nephews; and other family and friends.

A celebration of life funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb.y 1 at the Farragut United Methodist Church in Farragut. Visitation with the family will be from noon until 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Farragut United Methodist Church. Burial will be at the Farragut Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the St. Jude's Research Hospital. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at hackettlivingston.com. Services are entrusted to Hackett-LivingstonFuneral Home of Shenandoah.