Mary A. Stute

Dec. 10, 1913-March 11, 2005

Mary Ann (Darby) Stute died Friday (March 11, 2005).

She was born in a sod house in Cheyenne County, southwest of Haigler on Dec. 10, 1913, to Theodore and Christine Elizabeth (Wall) Darby. She attended rural school West-10 in Cheyenne County through the eighth grade. After working on the family farm and helping care for her siblings, she worked for the Porter family in Haigler.

On Jan. 19, 1937, she married Alfred Stute at the Lutheran Church near Washington Park in Denver, Colo. They made their home on a farm northeast of Haigler and had three daughters and one son. She lived most of her life in Haigler. Following her husband's death on March 18, 1970, she became an farming and ranching partner with her son, Royce. She received her GED in 1981. She received an Admiralship in the Great Nebraska Navy from Governor Charles Thone. She resided at the Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege after she suffered a stroke in February of 1999.

She was active in the choir, women's organizations and Sunday school. She was a teaching leader in the Bethel series bible study. She was active in the Cloverleaf extension club.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Raymond Darby; sister, Martha Walter; and grandson, Alan Edeal.

Survivors include sisters, Tressa Downs, Newport, Ky., and Esther Cline, Fremont; children, Alfreda Schroeder and her husband Dennis, Bennington, Kathryn Edeal and her husband Russell of Loomis, Royce Stute and his wife Marsha of Haigler and Bonnie Hansen and her husband Tim of Cozad; 10 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services are Tuesday at Zion Lutheran Church at Haigler at 1:30 p.m., with Rev. Chris Farmer officiating. Burial will follow at the Benkelman Cemetery in Benkelman.

Visitation will be at the Church at 1 p.m.

Memorials may be given in her name.

Forch Funeral Chapel of Benkelman is in charge of the arrangements.