Mary Catherine Sechrist Sidener was born January 5, 1914, to Daniel O. and Elsie (McLaughlin) Sechrist near Ada, Kansas. She went home to be with the Lord, November 18, 2010. She grew up in the Ada community and graduated from Ada Rural High School in 1931. She married Elwyn H. Sidener November 6, 1938. They lived in Wichita during the war years and returned to Ada where Elwyn operated service stations until his death in November 1955.

Mary took a job clerking at Doris Van Meter's Ada Cash Store in 1956 and worked there until the mid-1960's. She took night classes at Brown Mackie College, Salina, to qualify for an administrative position at the Ottawa County Hospital, Minneapolis, where she was employed until her retirement in 1984. She continued to volunteer as a Grey Lady for a number of years following retirement. She moved to Minneapolis in 1968, and to the Oakview Apartments in 1997, where she was the last of the original tenants.

Upon her baptism, May 25, 1924, Mary joined the Antioch Baptist Church, Ada, which she attended from infancy. She was an active member for over 85 years, and taught Sunday School Classes, sang in the Harmonettes, served as Church Clerk and belonged to AB Women's Ministries.

At different stages of her life, Mary was a member of the Stitch and Chatter Club, the Jolly Neighbors Club, PEO, and the Atlantean Brown Club.

Mary attended every game, play, musical and graduation event in which her children were involved and attended many of her grandchildrens' events as well. During her early retirement she took up oil painting and left many landscapes and still life paintings that her family and friends treasure. She also traveled a great deal throughout the United States and Canada and enjoyed trips to Austria, Spain, England and North Africa. She was an avid sports fan, following Kansas State and KU football and basketball and the Kansas City Royals--she could handle disappointment. During family gatherings she claimed neutrality when K-State and KU went head-to-head.

In addition to Elwyn, Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Willard R. Sechrist, Minneapolis; and her sister, Wilma Bearley, Escondido, CA. She is survived by her son, Ron (Corrine), Leawood; her daughter, Linda Wallace (David), Minneapolis; grandchildren, Drew Sidener (Nicole), Denver, CO; Jeremy Sidener (Sorcha), Lawrence; Rexanne Greuter (Ivan), Quincy, IL; and Jillinda Ansell (Aaron), Topeka; and great-grandchildren, Zelda, Harper and Aoife Sidener; Jessamine, Macy Catherine and David Greuter; and Micah Ansell. She kept track of them all and loved them all, and they loved her.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday at the Antioch Baptist Church in Ada. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Ada. Visitation will be from 2:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home where the family will receive friends from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.