Thursday, Mar. 04, 2010

Mary Brookshire

Mary Brookshire, nee McQuillen, 68, Blue Springs, died Feb. 27, 2010 at home surrounded by her family after a long, courageous battle with cancer.

She was born July 2, 1941 in Kansas City. After graduating with the first senior class of Saint Pius X in 1959, she worked for a few years before focusing on being a loving mother and homemaker. She lived a wonderful life and had a huge heart.

Her love of people always brought a smile to her face for either her friends, her family or strangers. Her greatest joy was her family and them spending summers with her and Dad at the Lake of the Ozarks. She will be missed immensely and will always bring a twinkle to our lives. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter R. McQuillen and Madeline McQuillen, nee Gallagher and her brother, John Marion McQuillen.

She is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Jarold L. Brookshire, of the home; her daughter, Debra and husband, Michael Drury; her son, Jerry and wife, Amy Brookshire; her grandchildren, Mary and husband, Joshua Taggart, Alex Drury, Abigail and Ethan Brookshire; one great-grandson, Eli Taggart; her brother, Roy and wife, Mary Francis McQuillen; her sisters, Margaret Boyce and Patricia “Tish” Mortallaro and husband, Bill; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass was March 4 at St. John La Lande Catholic Church in Blue Springs. Memorial contributions can be made to the Kansas City Cancer Center Charitable Fund.

Condolences and memories of Mary may be left for the family online at www.meyersfuneralchapel.com (Arrangements by: Meyers Funeral Chapel, 1600 W. Main St., Blue Springs, MO 64015; 816-229-3276)