Mary E. Ecton

Mary Ethelyn Anderson was born on April 22, 1930 to Oscar and Blanche Cooley Anderson of Coyville, Kansas. She passed away on October 3, 2020 in her home in Coyville across the street from the home where she was born.

She attended school in Coyville and graduated from the Class of 1948 from Coyville High school. She helped out in the family’s lumber yard and grocery store while growing up and also worked as a switchboard operator in Coyville for a time. She went on to attend Neosho Community College where she received her teaching certificate. She taught at Liberty School near Coyville.

She and Max Eugene Ecton eloped to Bentonville, Arkansas and were married on July 28, 1953. They were married for 54 years until Max’s death in 2007. She is survived by daughter-in-law, Pam Ecton of Gridley; daughter, Barbara Unrein and husband,Dan, of Alma; daughter, Karen Compton, and husband, Roger, of Fredonia, and daughter, Karla Quay,and husband, Bret, of Matfield Green. She was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Blanche Anderson, brothers, Howard Anderson and Winton Anderson, and son, Dwight Ecton. She had 10 grandchildren Jarrod, Jordan and Jamie (Bob) Ecton, Todd and Shannon Worrel, Sarah Compton Baker, Caleb Compton, Lindsay Compton Kelley, Brian and Matt Leeds. She had 19 great grandchildren.

She was a homemaker and farm wife for many years and while her children were growing up she was a Sunday School teacher, Girl Scout leader, chauffeur and seamstress. She served on election boards, the Coyville Town Council and the cemetery board. She later went to work at Ladow and Spohn Printing Co. and retired from there after 17 years. After retirement she kept busy teaching Sunday School, quilting and volunteering as a “pink lady” at Fredonia Regional Hospital.

Mary’s motto was “Family is Everything”. She loved and cared for her children, grandchildren and later lavished that love on her great granchildren. Her family named her the unofficial Queen of Coyville and she enjoyed sitting on her porch with her dog Sally by her side, and watching the comings and goings of her little town. She loved attending the monthly community dinners in Coyville and if you needed information about Coyville she was the lady in the know!

Several years after Max passed away she developed a friendship with Mike Muhlheim and together they enjoyed many home cooked meals, drives to town and Lake Fagan, Sonic stops and hymn singing.

Who was Mary? She was a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She loved to visit and she never knew a stranger. Going to the grocery store with her was a lengthy task as she had to stop to visit with everyone she saw. She was grace and contentment. She served the Lord and prayed for all her loved ones. She always said the only time she would leave Coyville was when she went to live “up on the hill” . She loved her little town, her little house and never wanted to leave.

The family will greet friends from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M., Thursday, October 8, 2020 at Wickham Family Funeral Home, 510 North 7th, Fredonia, Kansas.

Celebration of Life Services will be held 10:30 A.M., Friday, October 9, 2020 at Grace First Assembly of God Church with Pastor Ray Pile, officiating

Memorial contributions can be made for the Coyville Cemetery and they can be mailed or left at the funeral home.