Mary Canfield Obituary

Mary Ann Canfield, born August 13, 1935, died peacefully on June 26, 2024, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Canfield; stepdaughter, Mary Caroline Canfield; sisters, Dorothy Smith, Ruth Heyenbrock, and Ruby (Cliff) Eller. She is survived by stepson Mark Canfield of Columbia, MO; nieces Carol Ohrenberg of Concordia, Missouri, and Beverly Carlton of Prim, Arkansas; and a number of great-nieces and nephews.

Mary Ann was born in Concordia, Missouri, to Ida Wilhelm Heyenbrock White and John Louis White, who preceded her in death in 1935. She was raised by her paternal aunt and uncle, Bertha and Burney White.

She attended Central Missouri State University, graduating with a B.A. in Education and a Master's Degree in Counseling. She enjoyed reading mysteries, traveling, and was a self-taught pianist.

She taught school for forty-one years in Ft. Carson, Colorado; Concordia and Odessa, Missouri; Ft. Osage and Kansas City, Missouri; and Lawrence, Kansas. Later in life, she worked in many Lawrence-area grocery stores, conducting food demonstrations, and enjoyed meeting many people in the process. She volunteered with Douglas County Hospice and was an active member of First Christian Church for many years. She was a resident of Pioneer Ridge Independent Living for the last seven years, enjoying many friends and activities.

Mary Ann had many friends, a charming zest for life, and people were drawn to her energy and attitude. She was the 4-H Queen in 1953 and showed cattle at the American Royal and Missouri State Fair.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Christian Church of Lawrence, Lawrence hospice organizations, or Douglas County Humane Society, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home: P.O. Box 1260, Lawrence, Kansas 66044.

Memorial services will be Wednesday, July 24th, 2024 at 11:00AM at First Christian Church, 1000 Kentucky Street, Lawrence, Kansas, 66044, followed by a light luncheon at the church. An inurnment will follow at 2:30PM at Zion Hill Cemetery in Concordia, Missouri.