Mary Elaine (Young) Van Wey

Mary Elaine (Young) Van Wey, passed away peacefully, April 28, 2014, following lung complications from chemotherapy. Visitation with the family, 6-8 p.m., Friday, May 9; Service, 10 a.m., Saturday, May 10, both at Downing Lahey Mortuary West. Mary was born February 14, 1938, at home in Minneapolis Kansas to John Z. and Myrle A. (Noah) Young. She grew up in Beloit, Kansas, one of 3 children. She had an older sister, Harriett, and younger brother, John. Mary attended grade school in Beloit and graduated from Beloit High School. She was in the marching band where she played the clarinet. She was active in sports and played girls basketball and softball. Mary was an avid swimmer, completing her lifeguard certification at 16 but was too young to lifeguard. Mary met her husband to be, Ace W. Van Wey, at the Beloit Municipal Pool. They married August 26, 1956 and had 2 children: Angela Kay and Pamela Rae. Mary was a homemaker until the girls were in junior high. As a family, Mary, Ace and the girls enjoyed camping and fishing at Cheney, Milford and later at Eureka, Kansas, where they had a cabin on the lake. Mary was an expert seamstress and was superb at everything she put her hand to. She was an excellent cook and baker, she could upholster chairs, rebuild sump pumps and fix about any small mechanical item. She crocheted, knitted, quilted, refinished furniture, made stained-glass items, etc. Mary was an avid reader and crossword puzzle whiz. She was a master gardener and had a huge assortment of beautiful flowers in her yard and in her sunroom at home. Marys work career outside the home consisted of various jobs including cashier, security guard and several manufacturing jobs until her retirement in 1977. Upon retirement, she spent most of her time gardening, camping and following the Shockers. Mary and Ace were HUGE Shocker Baseball fans having season tickets for 15 years. Until 2 years ago, they traveled to most of the Shocker tournaments and until last year, they attended all Shocker home games. Mary was a Shocker Baseball supporter member and helped organize and provide food for fund raisers and visiting team dinners. She sewed patches on baseball jerseys for Shockers who didnt have family to do that. Mary always had her scorecard at games to make sure her Shockers didnt get cheated. She knew all the boys names and even followed former Shockers who had progressed to the major leagues. Mary was a witty, outgoing and eternal optimist. Her family doesnt think she ever met a stranger. She was a great wife, mom, sister, aunt, grandma, great-grandma, and friend, and she will be greatly missed by all her family and friends. Mary was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Ace; siblings, Harriett Snyder (Gene) of Aumsville, OR, John Young (Sue) of Lawrence; children, Pamela Van Wey and Angela Davis (Rod), both of Wichita; grandchildren, Jesse Chambers and Nathan Davis (Maria), and great-grandchildren, Nathan Jr, Malachi, Aralynn and Grace Davis, all of Wichita. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice. Downing Lahey Mortuary West.