Obituary of Mary E Decker

Mary E. Decker, age 99, of Iola, Kansas, formerly of Colony, Kansas, passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at the Allen County Regional Hospital, Iola, Kansas.

She was born October 27, 1919, near Red Cloud, Nebraska, the daughter of Herbert and Lydia (Crawford) Rowley.  Mary attended Kincaid Rural High School, Kincaid, Kansas.

Mary married Martin Luther Decker on February 3, 1934, in Iola, Kansas.  This union was blessed with four children.

Mary was a homemaker, a farmer’s wife, and devoted mother. She was a member of Colony United Methodist Church, Pleasant Valley EHU, The Forget-Me-Not Club, the Colony Order of the Eastern Star, the Colony United Methodist UMW, the Colony Sr. Citizens, and the Lone Elm Quilters.  She served as pianist for the Colony United Methodist Church for many years.  She also served on the Colony Library Board for a number of years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Lydia Rowley; her husband, Martin Decker; four children, Larry Decker, Frances Hoggatt, Leon Decker, and Kerry Decker; son-in-law, Jerry Hoggatt; three brothers, Herbert, Richard “Pat”, and Cecil; three sisters, Lavonia, Frances, and Edith.

Mary is survived by daughter-in-law, Bernice Decker of Garnett, Kansas; four grandchildren, Connie Thompson and husband Rick of Kincaid, Kansas, Garry Decker and wife Paula of Welda, Kansas, Jeff Hoggatt and wife Lisa of Wichita, Kansas, Jana Burke and David Combs of Manhattan, Kansas; seven great grandchildren, Blake Thompson and wife Hannah of Kincaid, Kansas, Erin Zook and husband Justin of Garnett, Kansas, Nick Thompson of Roeland Park, Kansas, Jenna Pretz and husband Jon of Osawatomie, Kansas, Luke Decker of Welda, Kansas, Jacob Hoggatt and Daniel Hoggatt, both of Wichita, Kansas, Haylee Burke of Wichita, Kansas, and Brianna Burke of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; thirteen great great grandchildren, Owen, Nora, Molly, Ruby and Greta Thompson, Brylee, Brekyn, Britni, and Kaxton Zook, Jolee and Julia Pretz; special neighbors and friends, Charlie and Betsy Stephens of Iola, Kansas, Paul, Cathy, Caleb, and Sydney Stephens of Lone Elm, Kansas, and Bonnie Rook of Welda, Kansas.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Saturday, April 6, 2019, at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Garnett, Kansas with interment to follow in the Colony Cemetery, Colony, Kansas.  The family will greet friends from noon to 2:00 p.m., on Saturday at the funeral home.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Colony Fire Department or the Colony United Methodist Church.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com