Mary Elizabeth LaMar Ryan

She began her career as Secretary of the Defense Department before working at the Baby Shop, where she fit many a delighted girl with an Easter dress complete with matching hat. She was an engaged member of St. John's United Church of Christ where she sang in the choir for years and supported their mission of sharing Christ's love and sacrifice. Mary Elizabeth loved God and family, enjoyed music and a good joke. Her love of music shown when she played piano sang hymns and tap danced in the kitchen for her grandchildren to their great applause and glee. She taught her children and grandchildren what family means through a loving home, good food and celebrations of every days joys like baseball, a good soap opera and peach pie, and gave them a Madame Alexander doll each Christmas. She learned about loving well through the example of her parents. With her brothers and sisters, she grew up in a house full of singing and baseball games that made the neighborhood kids feel like they belonged too. She leaves behind a legacy of family memories from summer days on Barkley Lake to singing Christmas carols in a standing room only warm kitchen. She joins in heaven her husband of 58 years, Robert "Bob", who loved her with sweet devotion and tenderness. Together they enjoyed traveling, growing vegetables in a backyard patch, their dog, Buddy, and being involved in the lives of their grandchildren. They were dearly loved and respected by family. Mary Elizabeth will be deeply missed, but her family and friends can honor her legacy by loving our families as well the way she showed us, by enjoying life's simple pleasures like chicken & dumplings on a cold day or a St. Louis Cardinals win, or making mundane fun with an occasional tap dance at the kitchen sink.

Mary Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Ryan; siblings, Tommy, Jack and Larry Lamar, Dorothy Jett and Clara Freese.

She is survived by her children, Becky Hibbs, Jack (Roxann) Ryan, Larry (Ethelda) Ryan and Robin (Dave) Hileman; brother, Chuck Lamar; 10 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Friday, July 21, 2017, at Alexander East Chapel, officiated by Rev. Jeff Kincade, with burial in Alexander Memorial Park. Friends may visit Friday from 11:30 AM until service time at the funeral home.

The family would like to thank West River Health Campus for their wonderful care.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or a charity of your choice. Condolences may be made online at www.AlexanderEastChapel.com.

Alexander Memorial Park Burial Location: Heritage Chapel Mausoleum, Crypt 48B