Mari McGehee

Mari McGehee, 89, of Mount Ayr, passed away Jan. 25, 2025. Open visitation will be held from 12 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr. The family will be present from 10 to 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr. Services will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday, at the church, with burial to follow in Rose Hill Cemetery.

Memorials are to be directed to the First Christian Church.

Mari was born Jan. 30, 1935, the middle child of Ralph and Ellen Charlotte “Lottie” (Barnett) Rees, a few miles south of Mount Ayr. She was welcomed by a brother, William Ralph, and her sister Jo Ann later joined the family.

Mari graduated valedictorian of the MACS class of 1953, of 47 students.

In 1957, Mari began working for Grant L. Hayes, county attorney in Mount Ayr for 12 years. Grant called her the most logical person he had ever known in his lifetime. She worked for attorney Arlen F. Hughes for 25 years. Mari then went to work for Richard L. Wilson and Clint Spurrier and worked for them for 10 years. She finished her working career working for Doug Daggett for 14 years.

Mari was united in marriage to Max “Ike” McGehee May 4, 1958, at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr. Later, when she transferred her membership from the Methodist Church to the Christian Church, the rule of the day was baptism by immersion. She was baptized when she was seven months pregnant with her daughter. She loved the church and church work and served 20 years as an active elder and the remainder of her life as Elder Emeritus.

Mari loved babies and children and was blessed with a daughter, Mitzi Jo, July 22, 1960, and a son, Michael James, five years and two days later on July 24, 1965.

She loved walking, reading, cookbooks, cooking, traveling, and lifelong learning. She and Ike traveled many miles following children and grandchildren’s activities.

Mari served four years on the MACHS School Board; was a 45-year member of Chapter CK PEO; longtime member of the Ringgold County Legion Auxiliary and bowled for a number of years at Lucky Lanes. She and a partner won the Class C doubles one year.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ike, in January 2010; her parents, Ralph and Lottie Rees; her brother, Bill; her sister, Jo; brother-in-law, Bob Loudon; her in-laws, Kenneth “Ike” and Loueva McGehee; brother-in-law, Ted McGehee and numerous other relatives.

Mari is survived by her daughter, Mitzi of Mount Ayr; her son, Mike of Creston; grandchildren: Michael Hymbaugh, Michelle Hines, Matthew Hymbaugh (Nathan Schneider), Jacob (Maggie) McGehee, Ashley (Tyler) Coenen and Brooke McGehee; great-grandchildren, Lexi and Allison Hines, Connor and Ellie McGehee and August, Drexel and Arthur Coenen; sister-in-law, Virginia Rees of Clinton; one niece; four nephews; other relatives and friends.