Mary Elizabeth Seamands... Age 94

Visitation will be held from 2:00 PM -3:00 PM on Sunday, May 26th, 2019 at Eddy Birchard Funeral Home in Osawatomie, Kansas, followed by a Memorial Service.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made out and sent to: OHS Mary Hohenstein Seamands' Memorial Scholarship Fund, USD #367, Attn:  Nancy Crowley, 1200 Trojan Drive, Osawatomie, KS  66064. Our family wishes to thank Meals on Wheels, Woodland Hills Apartments, Paola and Olathe Hospitals, Dr. Charles Davis, the Miami County EMS, Lifecare Center Osawatomie, Associates in Family Care and Good Shepherd Hospice for their amazing kindness and generous care.

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Mary Elizabeth (Marshall) Hohenstein Seamands, 94, passed away peacefully on March 18th, 2019, while surrounded by loved ones.

Mary was born in Olathe, Kansas, on October 18th, 1924. She graduated from Olathe, Kansas High School in 1942 and began her professional career editing the newspaper at Sunflower Ordinance Works during World War II.  She was honored with a permanent exhibit detailing her work at Sunflower by the Johnson County Kansas Museum in 2018.

Mary was married to Rudolph (Rudy) L. Hohenstein on November 23rd, 1944; she was widowed on January 3rd, 1971.  In 1982, she married Alfred (Eddie) E. Seamands and was widowed again after 25 happy years.

Mary worked for the Osawatomie School District as Clerk of the School Board and Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools for 24 years.  She moved to The Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked for the Social Security Administration for 5 years before retiring.  Mary survived two catastrophic local events.  In 1977 her car was washed away by The Plaza flood.  On July 17th, 1981, she and her good friend Dorothy Renoe attended the Tea Dance at The Hyatt Regency Hotel and had just stepped off of the top tier sky-walk as it collapsed behind them. Two of her life-long loves were reading and travel.

Mary is survived by her two children, Ronald R. Hohenstein and his wife Barbara, of Osawatomie and Vicki J. (Hohenstein) Wards and her partner Allen Sharp, of Mauston, Wisconsin; her two step-children, Sandy Roberts and her husband Jim, and Cindy Kirkham and her husband Rick; her 9 grandchildren, Bart Peace, Annie Peace, Sam Peace, Callie Peace, Beth Hohenstein Muldrow, Mike Wards, Christopher Wards, Ashley Wards Lott and Britten Wards; her 10 great-grandchildren, Emily Benton, Rudy Benton, Clare Benton, Lydia Bowyer, Max Bowyer, Jameson Looper, Ajie Suso, Rohey Suso, Alexis Lott, Hope Lott and Victor Lott; her beloved nieces and nephews; and the rest of her family and friends.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, John D. Marshall and Ethyl Mae (Round) Marshall; her step-son Robert (Bob) L. Hohenstein, as well as her brothers, Ross Marshall, Edward Marshall and Max Marshall.