Mary W. Standefer

Mary W. "Peggy" Brooks Provine Standefer, 100, was born near Bonham, Texas in Fannin County on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1911, and passed away in Las Cruces, New Mexico on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.

Peggy was the seventh of 8 children to William Malone Lonnie Brooks and Coma Barnes Brooks. She was raised on the family farm, a graduate of Wolfe City High School in Wolfe City, Texas, and a lifelong Methodist. She met and married William Dupont Provine and made their home in Wolfe City where they were blessed with two daughters, Laura Bill and Mary Ann "Sissy" and later relocated to Alexandria, LA.

Until his unexpected death in 1951, she worked closely with her husband Dupont, founder of Provine Studios, which was best known in several states for their work taking school pictures. Confronted with raising her daughters alone, she moved to Dallas to be with siblings and other family members. Her daughters graduated school in Dallas and started their own families.

In 1957, she married Nelson Standefer, a former WWII, B-17 Bombardier. They relocated to Farmington, New Mexico where she was active in the Methodist church and made many friends. They later moved to Houston, Texas where she joined the First United Methodist Church Downtown and became a long time Bridal Consultant for Sakowitz's Post Oak Store, designing weddings for some of Houston's premier families.

In later years, she continued to assist Houston families but at the opposite end of the spectrum. Peggy began assisting families in various capacities at funeral homes such as Forest Park Lawndale, Earthman Funerals and Pat H. Foley & Co. After her retirement, Peggy enjoyed traveling and making homes in Sun City, AZ, Pagosa Springs, CO, Plainview, TX and finally in Las Cruces, NM.

Preceded in death by her husbands, William Dupont Provine in 1951, David Nelson Standefer in 1981 and her daughter, Laura Bill Provine Yancey in 1995, Peggy is survived by her daughter, Mary Ann "Sissy" and her husband John Collins; grandchildren, Kathy "Kat" and her husband Dan Fyten, Stephen Yancey and his wife Elaine, John Thompson and his wife Leasa, William Yancey and his wife Michelle and Laurie Yancey; great-grandchildren, Sarah and Jessica Thompson, Devon and Darian Yancey and great-great granddaughter, Shelby Clark.

Family and friends gathered to celebrate "Grannie's" life at a graveside service on Wednesday, the 6th of April at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Wolfe City, Texas, with Reverend M. Eugene Vickrey officiating.