Mary Lynn a longtime resident of Anaconda and Sullivan MO, passed away peacefully at the Life Care Center of Sullivan on January 12, 2017 at the age of 98, surrounded by her family. Mary was born January 5, 1919, in Hematite MO and spent her childhood in the Afton area of St. Louis MO.
Mary’s mother passed away when she was 5 years old and thereafter was raised by her father, 6 brothers, and 1 sister. Times were harsh during the depression and she lied about her age and went to work early to help keep her family together. Family was important to Mary and always came first.
While working at Crunden-Martin in St. Louis she met and married Stephen Lynn also of St. Louis. They resided there for several years, during that time 1 son and 1 daughter joined the family. Son, Stephen Jr, was born in 1940 and daughter, Diane in 1942. Wanting to raise their children in a better atmosphere they purchased a farm in Anaconda, MO and moved there in 1942, when Diane was just 6 weeks old.
Mary was a city girl and farming was new to her. She learned the chores and demands of a farm life quickly, as her husband Steve continued to work in St. Louis and commuted home on weekends for several years. In 1947 a daughter, Sally was born followed by another daughter Rosemary in 1953.
Mary, husband, and children helped on the farm tending to livestock, baling hay, and chopping wood along with all the other things involved with farming. In 1955 she went to work at Deb Shoe Co, in St. Clair, and worked there until they closed. Mary stayed busy with several part-time jobs, driving a school bus in St. Clair, refinishing and upholstering furniture until 1975 when partnered with her daughter Diane to assist at Dinah’s Dine-In, in Sullivan. Mary cooked and became well known for her fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, and blackberry cobblers. They closed several years later. Mary also volunteered at Agape Thrift Store, in St. Clair, until her granddaughter Michelle and daughter Diane persuaded her to help them at Gift Emporium in Sullivan.
In 2005 she sold the family farm and moved to Sullivan to be closer to family. She retired completely soon after.
Mary was a member of Eastern Star Lodge in St Clair. She enjoyed traveling and decorating her farm house and home in Sullivan. She also enjoyed helping her daughters decorate their homes and helping them in their many moves from state to state. She was fond of visiting the beach at her daughter’s home in Virginia Beach, VA and Charleston, South Carolina.
Mary loved visiting with grandchildren and provided them with wonderful memories of playing, hunting, and fishing on the farm. Even so, she did not hesitate to correct them when needed and was known for fondly as “the hollering Grandma”. She was a great source of strength and love to her family and was always ready to help when needed.
Mary is the daughter of the late Michael and Magdalena Gass of St. Louis, MO. She is preceded in death by 5 brothers, Michael, Jacob, John, Nicholas, and Joe Gass and 1 sister Catherine Ludwig.
She is survived by brother Frank Gass of St. Louis. Her son Stephen D. Lynn and wife Joann of Bourbon, daughter Diane Sohn and husband Jack of Sullivan, daughter Sally Sohn and Bill of Charleston, South Carolina, and daughter Rosemary Ransom and husband Joe of Sullivan, MO.
She is also survived by 9 grandchildren, Stephen and Gregory Lynn, Theresa Bishop, Jack Sohn, Michelle Conrad, Kristina McClure, Jennifer Breese, Raymond Sohn, and Jessica Ransom. She has 13 great grandchildren and 14 great great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Mary was held at Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan, MO on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 from 4:00-8:00 pm with funeral on Wednesday, January 18 at 10:00 am. Burial was held at Anaconda Cemetery following the service.