Mary Eileen Mallory Nims Strong passed away at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday June 14, 2017 at Truman Healthcare Center of Lamar after a lengthy illness at the age of 90.
She was the first child of Wayland “W.O.” Mallory and Alice Messenger Mallory. Born on a Monday morning February 25, 1927 in Lane County Kansas, with Amy, Kansas as their mailing address.
Mary grew up in western Kansas, near Amy, Kansas with three brothers, Marvin, Marion, Mark and a sister, Martha and her Uncle Ted, her dad’s younger brother, he was 11 years older than her and Ted was like an older brother to her.
Mary grew up in western Kansas, near Amy, Kansas with three brothers, Marvin, Marion, Mark and a sister, Martha and her Uncle Ted, her dad’s younger brother, he was 11 years older than her and Ted was like an older brother to her.
There was no television, limited radio and no telephone. She said there was not a single box of toys. Sunday was church and Sunday afternoons they had ball games. Her Grandpa Messenger made them two ash ball bats, that looked like the real thing and her mom took old raveled socks and made them balls. She tried very hard to keep up with the boys, Uncle Ted and Willard (her cousin) both lived with them, and the other cousins Clark Whiting, Harry, Don, Lee and Kenneth Messenger. Ted would try to get away without his tag along Mary, with a variety of pranks. When she was about five years old he got her to climb a tree with one hand tied to her back and of course he left and she was in the top of the tree and no way down, but Alice her mother got her down. Mary gave her younger brother, Marvin a haircut while her mom wasn't there. Well the haircut was absolutely horrible, and there was no way to hide it or get out of trouble, but Marvin's hair grew back.
Mary was baptized at the Amy Baptist Church on April 9, 1939 at the age of 12.
The Mallory family moved to southwest Missouri, Lamar in 1943. Mary graduated from Lamar High School in 1945 and went a half a year to Southwest Missouri Baptist University in Bolivar.
Mary lived with Mae and Frank Wilson, just across the road from the Forest Grove School where she taught school for a year. She met Howard Nims at the school ice cream social, and they married May 17, 1947. They lived on a farm just south of the school and then Mary was a substitute teacher for a short time. By 1954 they had two sons Wayne and Dale and a daughter Sharon. Mary was a homemaker for the first part of their marriage. When the early 1960's rolled around, Mary went to work at the new factory in town, O'Sullivan Industries. Mary also loved to play ball and found her place as the pitcher for the O’Sullivan softball team. She was also on the O’Sullivan bowling league and rode horses. In her spare time, she sewed for her daughter and herself, she was a great seamstress and a great cook. She loved to play card games, pitch or pinochle and always looked forward to her Monday night card game with good friends Vern Young, Opal Sims, and Lorene Higgins. The only thing that could top a good game of cards was watching her favorite team the St. Louis Cardinals play ball. She was a diehard Cardinals fan for sure!
Howard passed away June 7, 1981, they were married for 34 years. Mary re-married on June 6, 1983 to Merle Dean Strong, a widower from Lamar. Dean passed away January 22, 2004, they were married 20 years. June 2005, she lost everything but herself when her house burnt. Dean's grandson D.D. Dunagan lived with her most of his childhood and thankfully he was there and got her out of the house to safety just in time.
Preceding her in death were Mary’s father, Wayland, her mother, Alice, her brothers Marion and Mark and her husbands Howard Nims and Dean Strong. She leaves behind, her sons Wayne Nims and wife Cheryl, Dale Nims and wife Karen, her daughter Sharon Osburn and husband David all of Lamar, a brother Marvin Mallory and his wife Arietta of Louisburg Kansas, a sister Martha Andrews and husband Ron of Marshfield, Missouri, a sister in law Donita McCullough of Lamar and sister in law Bobbie Mallory of Albuquerque New Mexico. Also, ten grandchildren, Carissa Potter, Miranda Bruce, Jaclyn Kurle, Adam Nims, Christopher Nims, Blaine Nims, Kelli Nims, D.W. Osburn, Wesley Osburn, Melissa Fanning and step-grandson D.D. Dunagan and wife Jennie of Stockton, Missouri and their two sons Ryeder and Treyce; 11 great-grandchildren, Keirsten, Kinsley, Ryan, Judah, Jonah, Eric, Victor, Hali, Lane, Cody, and Trenton, along with many nieces and nephews, cousins and good friends.
Service Information
Tuesday, June 20th, 2017, 10:00am
Robb Hodson officiating
Konantz Warden Funeral Home
1301 Gulf St
Lamar, MO
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