Mary Frances Martin Whitener

Mary Frances Martin Whitener was born in Hayti, Missouri on Thursday, February 21, 1929. She was the daughter of the late Theodore Truman Martin and Flossie Vivian Ford Martin.

She departed this life at the Southgate Living Center in Caruthersville, Missouri on Tuesday morning, May 30, 2017. She was 88 years old.

Mary Frances, being the youngest child and only girl in the Martin family, was greatly admired by her brothers and loving parents. Her mother was a homemaker and even when cooking on a cook stove that burned wood, Flossie produced delicious meals three times a day while her husband T.T. worked as a Conductor on the Frisco Railroad. Her brother, Robert, died in 1930 from injuries sustained while playing football. Her brother, Glen, also died too soon while flying a P-38 and bombing the Japanese from the Aleutians from WWII. Mary attended school in Hayti. In 1946, Mary Martin became the first Football Homecoming Queen at Hayti, and she graduated from Hayti High School in 1947.

After graduation, Mary Frances was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Robert LeRoy Whitener. He preceded her in death after 64 years of marriage on April 2, 2011.

Mary Frances was a talented vocalist and pianist. She was often chosen to sing or play at weddings and funerals and she sang in the choir at the Hayti United Methodist Church for many years. Mary Frances and Robert were both Sunday School teachers at the First United Methodist Church in Hayti and both provided inspiration for many young people in the community. Both she and Robert were raised in the Methodist Church, but years later they changed their church affiliation to the First Presbyterian Church in Caruthersville that was ministered by Reverend Paul Currie. Both Girl Scouts and Brownie Scouts were a part of her life as well as the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Mary was an avid gardner with large vegetable gardens and a special talent for producing beautiful flower gardens. She and Robert loved going to their cabin on Castor River to fish and camp. She was known for her ceramic work and china painting as well as oil painting. Also, she was a member of the bridge club and played bridge with the local group for many years and then learned how to play bridge “online”. This opened up a whole new world for Mary Frances. She developed many lifelong friends playing bridge online and the group would often meet at different locations around the country to share personal time with each other. Mary Frances also loved playing golf, as she spent many hours golfing not only with friends but more importantly with her husband Robert and her children.

Although primarily a homemaker, Mary Frances worked seasonally several years at the Cotton Classing Office in Hayti and she also worked at the Delta Gin in Hayti. Her most important job in life was the devotion to her husband, her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. Her unconditional love for her family will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, T.T. and Flossie Martin, her husband, Robert LeRoy Whitener, a daughter, Mary Lynn Whitener Thompson, and four brothers, Robert, Glen, Richard, and Teddy Martin.

Mary Frances is survived by one son, Glen Robert Whitener and his wife Connie of Hayti, MO, and one daughter, Cara Lee Whitener Petersen and her husband Eric of Caruthersville, MO, eight grandchildren, Allison Lee Whitener Schroeder and her husband Justin of Dyersburg, TN, Robert Hayden Whitener and his wife Abby of Blytheville, AR, Halley Lynn Whitener Gurley and her husband Jared of Kennett, MO, Mary Catherine Faris of Memphis, TN, Jennifer Lynn Thompson Reeves of Caruthersville, MO, John Clyde Thompson, II and his wife Joly of Caruthersville, MO, Matthew Stuart Pierce and his wife Mary Hannah of Caruthersville, MO, and Erin Elizabeth Pierce of Memphis, TN, twelve great-grandchildren, Luke Clayton Schroeder, Sydney Glen Schroeder, Kate Hayden Schroeder, Mary Grace Reeves, Emily Warren Reeves, James Owen Reeves, John Clyde Thompson, III, Caitlin McKenzie Kerley, Lawson Michael Gurley, Graham Hayden Gurley, Blair Larkin Gurley, Hayden Houseworth Whitener, and many other relatives and many,many friends.

Funeral services were held Sunday, June 4 at 3:00 p.m. in the H.S. Smith Chapel with Mr. Ed Reeves officiating. Interment followed at the Whitener Family lot in Woodlawn Cemetery at Hayti, MO.

Honorary pallbearers were members of the Hayti Fire Department.

Pallbearers were Justin Schroeder, Luke Schroeder, Jared Gurley, John Thompson, II, Robert H. Whitener, and Matthew Pierce.

The family request that memorials should be made to the Hayti Fire Department or to the Caruthersville Humane Society.

H.S. Smith Funeral Home in charge of services.