Mary Ada (Marshall) Wade, 84 formally from Harlan, died Wednesday, December 27, 2023 at the Blue Hills Nursing Home in Independence, Missouri. She was born August 16,1939 at home in Mondamin, Iowa to Henry Carl and Florence (Neill) Marshall. She grew up in Mondamin and Modale graduating with Modale High School class of 1957. Her first job was secretary to the principal at the school. After the Modale School burned, her job was to sort through all the burned records to salvage as much as possible. On August 18, 1957 Mary married Leonard Wade at the Modale Methodist Church. They had 6 children. They lived mostly in Mondamin and Harlan, Iowa. She always kept busy taking care of her kids and household. She was the best mom in the world. She walked beans every summer for 20 years (forcing her kids to go with her). When they moved into Harlan in 1979, she began working full time as a waitress. She waitressed at Ember’s in Avoca for 40 years. She loved her customers so much, she didn’t want to retire!
She loved a lot of things over the years, including, card games, collecting cardinal figurines, Creighton basketball, Chief’s football, diet coke, and country music especially Mel McDaniel. Her and Leonard followed Mel all over the Midwest. She loved Mel more than her kids 🙂
Anyone who knew Mary knows she loved shopping for stuff for her house and yard. She loved Harlequin books, Hallmark movies, motorcycle rides with her sons, and spending quality time with her kids, grandkids and grand dogs. Especially when her grand dog Abba would visit her at the nursing home!
She did a lot of traveling with her kids over the years including, Maine, California, Tennessee, New Mexico, Oregon, and Ireland. She also went on a Bahamas cruise, which was probably not the best choice for someone who wears blue jeans all the time. As Mel would sing “baby’s got her blue jeans on.” Nobody was a stranger to her. Everywhere she went she always found someone to talk to. She was one of the nicest people you could ever meet and a loving wife and mother.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Florence Marshall, husband Leonard, brothers Harold Marshall and Howard Marshall, son Dennis Wade, brother-in-law Larry Hammer, sister-in-law Lois Marshall; sister-in-law Pat Marshall; mother and father-in-law, Wesley and Irene Wade. She is survived by her children Debbie (John) Furst, Independence, MO, Daniel (Gayle) Wade, Overland Park, KS, Douglas (Donna) Wade, Overland Park, DeeDee (Terry Lally) Denison, IA and Deanna (Jason Flack) Paola, KS. And siblings Norma Jean Hammer (Larry GUttau) Mondamin, and Richard (Syd) Marshall of Modale. She is survived by 13 Grandchildren, Kristie Wade, Denny Wade, Crystal Domann, Michael Andersen, Brandy King, Dan Priestiy, Kim McDowell, Jessica Paustian, Kristina Salinas, PJ Stuville, Anthony Wade, Jessi Gregg, Autumn Gregg; 17 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Family visitation will be Saturday, April 13th from 11am to 1pm at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan. Burial in the Noyes Cemetery in Mondamin, IA. Pauley Jones Funeral Home is in Charge of arrangements.
