Mary Irene Garner, 83, Harrisonville, MO, died Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at Cass Regional Medical Center in Harrisonville. Graveside services will be at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall, MO. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the East Central Illinois Baptist Association Church Start Fund, 1204 Rolling Hills Drive, Mahomet, IL 61853.

Mary was born November 26, 1925 in Saline County, Missouri, the daughter of John and Mollie (Bakert) Petermann. She married Charles B. Garner on June 24, 1950.

Mary had lived in Saline County and Slater, MO most of her life before moving to Harrisonville 17 years ago. She had worked as a telegraph operator for Union Pacific Railroad in Seattle, Washington in the 1940's. She was a nurse's aide supervisor at the State School & Hospital in Marshall for 27 years before retiring in 1988.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Charles, on November 28, 1980, three brothers, two sisters and one grandson, Charles William Garner. She is survived by two sons, Kenneth Charles Garner, Butler, MO and Thomas Eugene Garner, Kansas City, MO; two daughters, Karen Sue Helzer, Peculiar, MO and Alice Irene Davis, Mahomet, IL; four grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.