Mary Chester was born July 11, 1949, in Bloomington, Illinois, the daughter of Clyde Million and Louise Isabelle Bowman Million. She died Aug. 15, 2016.
Mary traveled throughout her childhood and settled with her family in Menomonie, Wisconsin, where she graduated in 1967. Mary had four children: Christine, Joe, Sheila and Dawn. She moved her family to Missouri in 1984. Mary met her husband, Virgil, and married him in 1989, which blended three more children to the family: Rhonda, Sandra and Randall Chester. She retired in 2002 from Square D. Company in Columbia, Missouri. Mary was a mother, wife, grandmother, best friend and artist, and she volunteered her time at Moberly Regional Medical Center for five years, where she received an award for her service.
Mary loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and often watched them. Mary and her husband camped a lot. She loved campfires and starry nights. Mary loved to paint pictures with her daughters.
She loved cheese curds from Wisconsin and Old Dutch white popcorn. Her favorite time of year was Christmas, and she took great pride in her tree. Mary and her husband had cake to celebrate the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mary had a very deep faith and believed that she would be with her mother, father and child in heaven, as well as other family that passed before her.
Mary collected pictures of her family and posted on Facebook how proud she was of them and many posts about her faith. Mary was a member of Grace Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband, Virgil Chester; her children, Joe Kincade and Keri Bradford of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Sheila and Kevin Oliver of Moberly, Missouri, Dawn and Vence Havice of Moberly, Missouri, Rhonda Chester and Bryce Delcamp of England, Arkansas, Sandra Shermuly and Damen White of Maryville, Missouri and Randall Chester of Brookfield, Missouri; her grandchildren, Jenna Bradford, Bridgett, Justine, and Kurtis Oliver, Kandy, Monique, Sabian and Zavin Havice, Courtney Delcamp, Aaron, Rebekah and Megan Shermuly; great-grandchildren, Trenady Oliver, Maddox Havice, Giovonnie Havice, Angel Havice, Shyanne Oliver, Kevin Brantley Oliver; friends, family on the Million side, close family friend Kenny Brooks and her dog, Mick.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Louise Million; her 5-year-old daughter, Christine; brother, Buster; grandchildren, Drake Havice and baby angel; mother-in-law, Doris Admire; grandparents, other aunts, uncles and cousins.
Mary, known as GiGi to her great grandchildren was the matriarch of her family and will be sadly missed and forever remembered.
Visitation will be held Thursday, August 18, 2016 from 1:30 until 2:30 p.m. at Pathway Funeral Home in Moberly. Graveside Services will be held Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at Chapel Grove Cemetery, Clark, Missouri.