Mary Alice Toadie Cecelia Hungate

She was born on December 26th, 1921 in Dickenson County, Iowa--the eldest daughter of John Henry Meyers and Winifred Adelaide Delaney Meyers and went to be with Our Lord on July 6th, 2015 in Arlington, Va.

Mary Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 54 years, Col. William C. Hungate, Jr. of Reed, KY, her eldest daughter, Kerry Hardy, her two brothers, Jack Meyers, Jay Meyers and a sister, Helen Leehey. . She is survived by a sister, Joyce Dusek, and her children: Douglas Hungate and his wife, Therese; Susan Cerimele; Deborah Zorn and her husband Reginald; Marianne Harman; son in law, Danny Hardy; 14 grandchildren (John Kennedy, Shannon Kennedy, Jennifer Hardy, Kimberly Matzenbacher, Meghan Hungate, Ellen Hungate, Regina Jobson, Christie Cerimele, Angelina Cerimele, Christina Watson, Kenneth Critz, Sarah Harman, Daniel Harman and Emma Harman); 10 great grandchildren; and numerous extended family members and close friends.

Mary Alice graduated from St. Anthony's Hospital School of Nursing in Carroll, Iowa in 1943 and later she joined the Army Nurse Corp in 1944 during World War II and was sent to England then Sissone, France where she met wounded infantry Capt. Hungate in the 241st General Army Hospital. They fell in love, began their courtship and on a 30 day leave back to the USA, Capt. Hungate married the love of his life in Milford, Iowa on March 28, 1946. They raised their five children together and were stationed in various cities in the United States as well as in Butzbach, Bad Nauheim and Mannheim, Germany with their final post in the Washington DC area. They were long time residents of Fairfax County and members of St John the Beloved Catholic Church in Mclean, Va.

After her husband's disability in 1961, Mary Alice went to work as a Registered Nurse at Arlington Hospital and retired after 23 years of service there. She was devoted to all her family, and by virtue of her fairness and no-nonsense approach to life, she became the "matriarch" whose advice and thoughts were sought after by so many. She would spend countless hours on the phone to extend comfort, encouragement, support, console or laugh with anyone who needed her. She was an avid seamstress, making many of her children's clothing in the early years, and enjoyed quilting, crafting, and flower gardening in her retirement years. Continuing her fierce independence after her husband's death in 2000, she stayed in the family home until 2009 when she moved to Vinson Hall Retirement Community in Mclean, Va. She was blessed all her years with strong mind and stubborn independence which despite her chronic back pain, allowed her to make several trips in the last couple years to Texas and Florida to visit family or attend military reunions. She was dearly loved by her family and friends and profoundly respected by all who were fortunate enough to meet her. She touched countless lives in her 93 years, her presence is now and forever will be in our thoughts and memories. She is now reunited with her loved ones gone before her--an angel in heaven watching over us still.

Visitation for family and friends will be at Murphy Funeral Home, at 1102 West Broad Street, Falls Church, Va. on Sunday, July 19th from 2-5 PM. The Funeral Mass to be held at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church, 6420 Linway Terrace, McLean, VA on Monday, July 20th at 11AM. Will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, Monday, Dec. 21st, 2015. Service begins at the Old Chapel at 12:45pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association.