Mary Katherine Keffaber, 96, of North Manchester, Indiana, died at 6:45 pm, Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester, and joined her parents, husband, and other loved ones in Heaven. She was born April 30, 1924 in Wabash County, Indiana, to Charles and Lola (Griffith) Schoby, and was one of ten descendants.
Mary attended Lincolnville Schools, and graduated in 1942. Her favorite subjects were Literature and English. She utilized those gifts to do crossword puzzles and read several novels a week. Mary’s academic gifts would have allowed her to attend college and pursue a career in the literary field; but chose a different path and married her life-time love, Otis Keffaber on June 19, 1942. Otis preceded her in death in 2004.
When Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, Otis enlisted in the Navy. As a spouse of an active sailor, she traveled stateside with him at his multiple assigned posts from coast to coast, and border to border. During these early years, they had two sons, and established friendships with other personnel doing similar assignments of sacrifice during the war era.After the war, Otis and Mary returned to the Lafayette area to farm. They relocated to Wabash County in 1951 to continue to farm and raise their family. Mary’s activities and community involvement included working at Northfield High School in the cafeteria; participating in sewing and homemakers’ clubs; and a member of Wabash Friends Church. She loved making pies and working in her strawberry gardens. Her collection of ornamental chickens has been shared with her grandchildren as a fond memory of Grandmother Mary.
Paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin, “Raising a large family may be financially costly but it also allows a broader opportunity for pleasure.” She is survived by six children, Steve (Esther) Keffaber of North Manchester, Jim (Carol) Keffaber of Wabash, Kathleen (Dave) Kellam of North Judson, Indiana, Kristine (Larry) Dickinson of Lagrange, Indiana, Lola (Charles) Smith of Lafayette, Indiana, and Kerry (Betsy) Keffaber of Fishers, Indiana. They inspired them to strive for academic pursuits and to use their gifts to contribute to their communities. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 37 great grandchildren, one great great grandson, sister, Ruth Martin of Watsonville, California, brother, Paul Schoby of Issaquah, Washington, and her sister-in-law, Margaret Schoby of Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was preceded in death by her parents, seven siblings, and great grandson, Lincoln Dickinson.
The family will hold a private celebration of life ceremony at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash.
Preferred memorial is Lincoln Legacy, Northern Colorado Downs Syndrome Association, NCDSA, c/o Spencer Anderson, 2324 Sunray Ct., Fort Collins, Colorado 80525.
In Mary’s memory her family would ask that you enjoy a few more flowers, eat a few more pies, and walk a few more strawberry fields with the people that you love.
The memorial guest book for Mary may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.
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