Mary Edson, age 98 of Sac City, IA, formerly of Varina, IA, and Omaha, NE, passed away on Monday, April 8, 2024, at Park View Rehabilitation Center in Sac City. Mary Frances Connell was born on March 10, 1926, to parents James and Elizabeth “Bess” (Miles) Connell in Storm Lake, IA. She grew up on a farm north of Varina and attended country school through the eighth grade. Mary graduated from St. Columbkilles High School in 1943. She grew up as a member of St. Columbkilles Catholic Church in Varina where she was baptized and then later confirmed by Bishop Heelan. Later in life she became a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sac City.
On September 2, 1948, Mary was united in marriage to James Edward Edson at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. The couple divorced in 1962.
Mary lived in Omaha, NE, where she worked at United of Omaha Insurance Company for thirty-two years before retiring in 1984. She then came back to the area and lived in Lytton, IA, before moving to Sac City in 2000.
Mary enjoyed socializing and playing card games with her family and friends. She rarely missed The Lawrence Welk Show on Saturday nights on TV; she looked forward to that every weekend. She also enjoyed crafting, reading, and working on word search puzzles in her spare time. Mary liked to drive and was the “taxi” for her group of friends that could no longer do so themselves. She was still driving herself to her hair appointments in Lake View weekly until her health started declining recently.
She will dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. Survivors include her nephews: Bill (Jan) Connell of Mesa, AZ, Mike (Laurie) Barrett of Fonda, IA, Ron Barrett of Des Moines, IA, and Perry Barrett of Manson, IA; nieces: Sharon (Tim) Stauter of Fonda, IA, Becky (Rick) Atkinson of Sioux City, IA, and Linda (Curt) Carson of Fort Wayne, IN; numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews; other extended family members and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, James and Bess Connell; brother William and wife Florence Connell; sister Marguerite and husband Robert Barrett; niece Laurie and husband Marc Dettmann; nephew Christopher Connell; great-nephews Travis Stauter and Corey Dettmann; and dear friend Esther Dettmann.
