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.
MaryAnn is my last Aunt. Now I have no one to tell me stories about my childhood. Recently when I would go visit, she always wanted to take us out for steak. Then she would order fish! I, too will miss her laugh. She enjoyed living at Pioneer Ridge.
Mary Ann was always such a sweetheart to me. I met her at First CHristian Church and then where she stayed and lived and my mother-in-law lived on the west side of town in independent living. Bless you and keep you during your grieving.
Mary Ann was truly a wonderful, generous, kind-hearted woman. I can still hear her laugh. I’ll always remember her funky sock designs and how excited she would be when she won bingo. A great lady that will truly be missed, but never forgotten.
During a particularly rough time in my 20s, Mary Ann was a support for me. She was very kind. My sympathies.