Mary Jeanne Sneegas
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Services for Mary Jeanne Sneegas, 93, Lawrence, KS will be at 10 a.m. Friday July 26, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrence. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Sneegas died Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at the Windsor of Lawrence.
She was born October 13, 1925, in Randolph, KS, the daughter of Wilfred Johnson and Mary Johnson.
She graduated from Randolph High School, attended Kansas State University, but graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Occupational Therapy in 1948.
She married Byron Carl Sneegas on March 5, 1949 in Randolph, KS. He predeceased her on October 26, 2005.
Mary was an Occupational Therapist (OT) at multiple Veterans Administration Hospitals. She was an OT at the Bess Stone Center before its transition into Cottonwood Inc. She retired from Cottonwood in 1990. She played in two different bridge groups and was active in the Kansas State Extension Home Unit.
Mary was very active in many capacities at Trinity Lutheran Church including the Historical Committee and past Council President. The Women of the ELCA (WELCA) often called upon her to provide the table decorations for many church events. She was an active member of the social group YTN’s who met monthly for almost 70 years. She also served on the Board of Directors of Haskell LIGHT, the Lutheran Campus Ministry to Haskell Indian Nations University.
Survivors include three sons, Stanley and wife Barbara, Lititz, PA, Garold and wife Nan Renbarger, Overbrook and Monty and wife Jennifer, Oskaloosa; three grandchildren, Aimee Sneegas Price, Olathe; Andrew Sneegas, Washington, DC, and Alan Sneegas, Seattle, Washington; three step granddaughter; Emma Martin, Connie Prine Schnoebbe and Elizabeth Young; three great grandchildren; and eight step great grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Thursday, July 25, 2019 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Trinity Lutheran Church or Cottonwood Inc. sent in care Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Just the other day one of the individuals who receives services from Cottonwood asked me about Mary Jeanne. She was his case manager for many years and he has always remembered her with so much love and affection. Those of us who worked with her at Cottonwood share those sweet memories and are so sorry to hear of her passing. Please know that she will always be remembered as a fun, warm, welcoming, practical, creative, and dedicated colleague, who contributed so much to Cottonwood in its earliest years and on through the decades until she retired. I feel lucky to have known her and to have been guided by her wisdom.
Mary Jeanne’s warmth and light was a gift to everyone she met. People she supported and worked with at Cottonwood still speak of her with great affection nearly 30 years after her retirement.
Mary Jeanne was a mentor to so many case managers at Cottonwood. She will be missed.
I am so sorry for your loss and for Trinity’s loss too. For decades, she was one of the “go to” women whenever there was a special event, and I never failed to see her without a smile. I’m so happy we have a photo of her in our 150th Anniversary memoir where she is serving the congregation at one such function. I will miss her too, and my prayers are with you.
My condolences to Mary Jeanne’s family. What an outstanding women she was. I have found memories of working with Mary Jeanne at Cottonwood and her beautiful collection of Dolls. She will be greatly missed.
Sherry and George Catt
Stan, Garold and Monty: Maryjeanne was a special person, as was was Byron. We were enriched by having known them,
Monty and family. I remember your Mother with great fondness. Every time we visited in your folk’s home, she made me feel so welcome. My thoughts and prayers are with you all during these difficult days.
My condolences to your entire family. Your Mother was a very sweet and kind lady. Very sorry for your loss.
She was the nicest neighbor who put up with so much of my shenanigans when I was a neighborhood troublemaker. Such a lady. She also made excellent chocolate chip cookies. I am so sorry guys.