Mary Small passed away at 9:22 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, in Goshen Hospital. She was 83 years old.
Mary was born Nov. 23, 1934, in Wayne County, to William P. Harper and Evelyn Weimer Harper.
On Aug. 25, 1951, Mary married Marvin Leo Small in Darke County, Ohio. They would share 66 years together prior to her passing.
Having spent most of her young life in Darke County, they moved in 1956 to the Warsaw and Leesburg area, where they started their family.
Mary loved children and was very good with them; they made her light up. She was known for baby-sitting 20 or more at a time in her home. She attended Lakeland Grace Brethren for more than 40 years and had worked in the nursery there.
She was a loving, caring mother. She enjoyed reading, sewing and gardening with a house full of plants. She also loved to cook and bake for her family.
Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Marvin; four children: Rick (Mary) Small, Palestine; Cinda (Chuck) Lightfoot, Nappanee; Steve (Kathy) Small, Golden, Colo, and Jeff (Susie) Small, North Port, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; and a brother, Paul (Judy) Harper, Pitsburg, Ohio.
Waiting for her in heaven are her parents; brother, Herman Harper; and six great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends for a time of visitation and sharing memories from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5, at Titus Funeral Home, 2000 E. Sheridan St., Warsaw.
A funeral celebrating Mary’s life will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, with visitation for one hour prior, at the funeral home. Pastor Russ Simpson, Lakeland Grace Brethren Church, will officiate. Burial will follow in Warsaw’s Oakwood Cemetery.
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Memorials to World Missionary Press, P.O. Box 120, New Paris, IN 46553.
