Mary Gaeddert

Published courtesy of the Cordell Beacon

© Cordell Beacon

Funeral services for Mary Gaeddert were held December 3, 2002, at the Herold Mennonite Church, northeast of Cordell with Rev. Arlee Johnson and Rev. Kevin Creed officiating. Interment followed in the Herold Mennonite Cemetery under the direction of the McClure Funeral Home of Cordell.

Mary was born on July 27, 1917 near Gotebo, Oklahoma to Jacob K. and Elizabeth (Jantz) Zacharias. She passed from this life at her home early November 30, 2002, at the age of 85 years.

Mary and Charles Gaeddert were married on December 26, 1937 at her parents home near Gotebo. To this union three daughters and a son were born.

She was a faithful and active member of the Herold Mennonite Church where she taught Sunday school for more than 50 years.

She loved children, baking and cooking. This was evidenced by her many years of Sunday school teaching, cooking at the Loftonian restaurant, and High School cafeteria.

Mary spent several of her summer vacations cooking at a music summer camp in Arkansas.

She is survived by: her son Richard Gaeddert and wife Sharon of Lawton, Oklahoma, three daughters; Elise Koehn and husband Bill of Aline, Oklahoma; Sue Rivera and husband Bob of Yukon, Oklahoma; and Janie Cole and husband Al of Cordell. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, seventeen great grandchildren, two special friends: Nikki Neely and Micah Cantaberry, also two brothers and two sisters: Aaron Zacharias and wife Evelyn of Gotebo, Oklahoma; Olga Hendricks of Gotebo, Oklahoma; Pauline Stafford and husband Onus of Oklahoma City; and Herman Zacharias and wife Florabelle of Hobart, Oklahoma.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, a brother; Ervin Zacharias and two sisters Edna Wood and Leona Hilburn.