Mary Elizabeth Dawson

Mary E. Dawson, 82, of Wamego, Kansas, passed away Friday, January 2, 2015. Mary was born August 28, 1932 in Oklahoma City, OK, the daughter of John F. and Neola (Wands) Query. She attended schools in Oklahoma and graduated from Copan High School in 1950. After high school she attended Oklahoma State University until relocating to Russell, Kansas, where she met her husband, Harry. He preceded her in death in August of 2007. Mary completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education from Washburn University in 1965 and her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Kansas State University in 1977. She taught business in Mojave, CA, and Marysville, CA. After Harry’s retirement from the Air Force in 1972, they settled in Wamego, where she continued her teaching career at Wamego High School until her retirement in 1994. After retirement, Mary and Harry loved to travel. They combined visiting family and friends with touring and genealogy research. Her other hobbies included painting, reading, and spending time with her family, including her beloved dog, Molly. She was a member of NEA, Delta Kappa Gamma, the First United Methodist Church of Wamego, UMW, and was a graduate of the Menninger Bible Study. Survivors include three sons, Mark (Sherri) of Wichita, KS; Dean (Diane) of Wamego, KS; Kenneth (Ann Benson) of Niceville, FL; one daughter, Kay Grunewald (Dennis) of Wamego, KS; ten grandchildren, Trinity Counts (Jeff), Trisha Bulger (Jake), Scott Dawson (Emily), Michael Grunewald (Melissa Miller), Matt Grunewald (Bridget), Hollie Dawson-Butler (Chris), Drew Dawson, Aaron Grunewald, Craig Dawson (Megan), Katy Dawson; eight great-grandchildren, Corey, Katie, Jaxon, and Anna Counts; Ava and Wyatt Bulger; Kyndal, Abby, and Alex Dawson; brother-in-law Don (Carol) Dawson, and several nieces and nephews. She was also preceded in death by her brother, John A. Query, sister, Norma Query, and sister-in-law and husband, Alice and Jim Graham. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 8, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church of Wamego. Burial will follow at the Sunnyside Cemetery in Caney, KS. Mrs. Dawson will lie in-state beginning at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, with family greeting friends from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The family suggests memorial contributions to the First United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association, and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home, PO Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.