Mary DeWeese

Mary Mae DeWeese passed from this life on Jan 18, 2012, at the Seneca House in Seneca, Missouri. Mary was a bonified member of what has come to be called the “Greatest Generation”. That generation that grew up in the depression and then endured World War II possessed a force of will, perseverance and self-reliance that we have all come to admire.   Mary was born on Aug 20, 1922 in Oilton Oklahoma to Anna and Louie DeBock, the seventh of eight children.  Both Anna and Louie were children of early Nebraska pioneers.  In fact Louie was a cowboy during the 1890’s before he and Anna Schleyer were married in 1906. The family moved back and forth between Nebraska and Oklahoma a couple of times during the 1930’s, but lived most of the time in Morril, Nebraska.    Mary met and married Virgil DeWeese on May 18, 1940. After the War started, they moved to Kansas City to work in the North American Aircraft factory, building B-25’s. Because of Mary’s size (5 ft, 100 lb.) one of the jobs she had was working up in the narrow part of the fuselage where no one else could fit.    When Virgil was finally drafted in 1943, Mary followed him wherever he was stationed.  This was before the Army provided any assistance to the wives of enlisted men.  Every transfer, she had to pack up, take a train to the next city, find a place to live, and find a job so that when Virgil was granted leave he would have a place to come home to. She worked at everything from laundries to housekeeping from California to Texas. Her experience in the aircraft factory paid off though. During Virgil’s pilot training in Pampa, Texas, Mary worked at the base repairing battle-damaged aircraft.  When Virgil was shipped overseas in 1945, he only had one day to teach Mary to drive their 1940 Chevy. She managed to learn though, and never had an accident her entire life.   When Virgil returned after the war, they lived in Joplin and Miami during the 1940’s and 50’s. Their dream of a family was not easily realized with Mary suffering through four still-births before deciding to adopt Ron in 1952.  Their dream of a home in the country, while not being easy either, was also finally realized. From 1955 to 1959 they built a home on 40 acres west of Miami. They did almost all of the work themselves at nights and on weekends. (The only items they hired done were the foundation and rockwork.)  Mary made it a point to cut every upright board in the house frame so they would all be exactly the same length, ensuring that the sheetrock would fit perfectly. The arrival of Rick in 1959 prompted them to move into the house even though it was not finished (no doors inside, or rock on the outside).   Throughout the rest of her life, Mary spent full time raising her two sons (a process that as any parent knows never really ends), providing a wonderful home for her family, and imparting wisdom and encouragement to whoever needed it. Mary was an active member of the Seneca Christian church since 1960.    Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years Virgil R. DeWeese in 1990 and four stillborn children. All seven of Mary’s siblings also preceded her: Hazel Norman, Gordon DeBock,  Lilly Travis, Herbert DeBock, Ellen Davis, Louise Derr, and Cora Vetter.    Mary is survived by her two children: Ron DeWeese and his wife Kathy of Seneca MO., and Rick DeWeese and his wife Debbie of Blanchard OK, five grandchildren: Jill Hawkins, Mollie Leek, Christina Gray, Stephanie Richardson, Rebecca Graham, eleven great grandchildren: Berek, Neleh and Ivy Hawkins, Gavin and Sophie Leek, Jaden Gray, Gabriel Angus and Bailey Richardson, Kaitlyn, Hazel and Jacob Graham.    Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the Seneca Christian Church with Pastor’s Thomas Hawkins and Doug Lawson officiating. Burial will be in the Osborne Memorial Cemetery in Joplin, with Larry Bilke, Josh Leek, Bob Stelts, Gerod Hall, Geoff Hall, and Tim Campbell serving as pallbearers.     The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 PM Friday at the Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca.