Mary E. Woods

Our Mary quietly slipped away to meet her Lord on June 9th, 2016. Throughout her long illness, she never complained, never had a bad word to say, and happily greeted all who came to visit with her. Mary Elizabeth Woods was born on August 4th, 1931 to Samuel Alfred and Lottie Pearl Gibb in Clarks, Nebraska. She grew up in Clarks and, upon graduating from high school, married Donald Edwin Woods. Mary and Don lived for a few years in Nebraska, then in Kansas, and Woodscross, Utah before settling in Roberts, Idaho. They had four children together, Jim, Diane, Kent, and Donnie. They later took in Mary’s sister’s children, Sue, Calvin, Ray, and Ronnie and raised them as their own. Mary lost her life partner and husband, Don, on September 28th, 1971. She never remarried and continued to raise her family of eight children on her own, asking little help from anyone. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, sisters, Dorothy and Madge, brother, Kenneth, her son Jim, and her nephews, Ronnie and Calvin. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Terri (Jim), sons Kent (Ivy) and Donnie (Corinne), daughter, Diane (Doc), nephew Ray Donaldson, niece Sue Moore (Bob), seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She also left behind numerous surrogate sons and daughters, children and grandchildren whom she loved and was loved by as family. Mary was loved and cherished by all who knew her. Her kindness, her generous heart, and her unshakeable faith in human goodness leaves an emptiness that can only be filled by her memory and knowing how blessed we are to have been a part of her life. She was truly a light in the dark and the world is a dimmer place with her gone. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations would be welcome to help offset the earthly costs of our dear mother and friend’s passing. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, June 16, 2016 at Rigby Pioneer Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Eckersell Memorial Chapel, 101 W. Main Street Rigby, prior to graveside services at the cemetery. Services are under the care of Eckersell Funeral Home in Rigby. Condolences may be sent to the family online www.eckersellfuneralhome.com