MARY STRONG

LAMAR- Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, at Konantz Warden Funeral Home for Mary Eileen Mallory Nims Strong, 90, Lamar, who died at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, 2017, at Truman Healthcare Center, following a lengthy illness. Robb Hodson will officiate. Burial will be at Forest Grove Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Forest Grove Cemetery Association.

Condolences may be sent online at www.konantzwarden.com.

Survivors include two sons, Wayne Nims and wife Cheryl and Dale Nims and wife Karen and a daughter, Sharon Osburn and husband David, all of Lamar; a brother, Marvin Mallory and wife Arietta, Louisburg, Kan.; a sister, Martha Andrews and husband Ron, Marshfield; two sisters-in-law, Donita McCullough, Lamar and Bobbie Mallory, Albuquerque, N.M.; 10 grandchildren; one stepgrandson and his family; 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Marion and Mark.

Mrs. Strong was born Feb. 25, 1927, in Lane County, Kan., to Wayland “W.O.” and Alice (Messenger) Mallory. She grew up in western Kansas and was baptized at the Amy Baptist Church on April 9, 1939, at the age of 12. She moved with her family to Lamar in 1943 and she was a 1945 graduate of Lamar High School. She taught school for a year at Forest Grove School, where she met her first husband Howard Nims at a school ice cream social and they were married May 17, 1947. They lived on a farm south of the school, where she served as a substitute teacher for a short time.

She was a homemaker and went to work in the early 1960’s at O’Sullivan Industries, where she was pitcher on their softball team, as well as on the bowling team and rode horses. She was a talented seamstress and a great cook. She loved to play card games and was a diehard St. Louis Cardinal fan.

Following 34 years of marriage her husband Howard died on June 7, 1981 and on June 6, 1983, she married Merle Dean Strong. He died Jan. 22, 2004, after 20 years of marriage.