Mary L. Stocksen

Mary L. Stocksen age 84 of Osawatomie, KS passed Tuesday April 4, 2023 at her home.

Mary was born October 18, 1938 in Kansas City, KS. She was the fifth of nine children born to Fred Oswald and Pauline Jewel (Graves) Cole. She attended school in Osawatomie, graduating with the class of 1956.

One day Mary’s brother Fred Cole brought home a friend, David Dale Stocksen and the start of a lifelong relationship began. A year later on July 7, 1956 they were married at her family’s home in Beagle, Kansas. The couple moved to Garnett for about a year. The young couple moved to Osawatomie in 1957 and still reside in the same house. They became the parents of four children, Paula, Randy, Margie and Diana.

Mary stayed home and raised her kids. Then when they were in school she went into the workforce. She worked for Sutherlands, Hyer Boot Company and Mod-O-Day.

In her spare time, Mary sewed, embroidered and read. She spent time at the library and playing cards with friends. Mary was a wonderful cook. She was famous for her fried chicken and chicken bread.

Mary and David went on hundreds of trips, traveling to every state with the exception of Hawaii by car, they even drove to Alaska. If they were not traveling cross country there were at one of their favorite lakes. Mary loved camping, fishing and hunting, so many trips to the Lake of the Ozarks, Pomona Lake and Hillsdale Lake were visited many times for camping, fishing and fun with the family.

She was a member of the Assembly of God in Paola.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband David, her parents and her only son Randolph James “Randy” Stocksen in 1978 at the young age of eighteen, daughter Paula Koger, grandson Jacob Benedict, great granddaughter Calliope Conner and Kaycee Young, four brothers and four sisters.

She is survived by her daughters: Margie (John) Miller of Garnett, KS and Diana (Lyle) Diediker of Osawatomie, KS and son-in- law Eugene Koger of Evergreen, CO. Nine grandchildren David Koger, James Koger, Michael Benedict, Brandon Benedict, Tyler Young, Melissa Young, Faith Miller, Lacy Armstrong and Dustin Diediker. Twenty one great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Along with other family and friends.

Memorials are to the Alzheimer's Association