Mary Anna Elizabeth Brown Laflen

Mary Anna Elizabeth Brown Laflen, 99, Moundville, Mo., passed away after a short illness Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, at Christian Health Care, Nevada, Mo. She was born on Jan. 24, 1914, in Carleton, Neb., to Arthur John and Rhoda Ellen Wheeler Brown. She was married Aug. 15, 1931, in Butler, Mo., to Allen Matthew Laflen, who preceded her in death on Aug. 7, 2009. They were married for 77 years.

Mary and Allen were blessed with six children and were both actively involved in the community. Mary was a more than 50-year member of the Drywood Community Club and a member of the Moundville United Methodist Church.

She was a supporter of Vernon County 4-H and served as a cooking, electricity, and photography leader. For many years, she worked at the Vernon County Youth Fair, in the vegetable building. Mary received several 4-H awards for her service. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, in Liberal and Nevada. She was very proud of her work on the Agricultural and U.S. Census. She loved trivia games, reading, and adored traveling and visited all 50 states, Australia, New Zealand, Soviet Union, Mexico, and Europe. Some of her best memories were camping with the family in Wyoming and New Mexico, traveling to Yellowstone with the four older kids, and going to Alaska.

Mary attended schools in Rockville, Mo., Appleton City, Mo., and graduated from Nevada High School in 1931. After finishing teacher training classes, she taught at Avola.

She is survived by three sons, John Matthew Laflen and wife, Shirley, Buffalo Center, Iowa, Robert (Bob) Allen Laflen and wife, Karen, Houston, Texas, and Jerry Mark Laflen and wife, Betty Jo, Moundville, Mo.; two daughters, Bess Ellen Sellens and husband, Howard, Hoisington, Kan., and Penny Jo Anna Beattie, Nevada. Mary had 15 grandchildren, Phil and Boni Sellens, Great Bend, Kan., Scot and Susanne Hines, Anchorage, Alaska, Bruce and Jennifer Hines, Franklin, Tenn., Mary and John McGee, Fort Collins, Colo., Susan and Eric Rokke, Monument, Colo., Christy and Jay Merfeld, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cindy and Christian Miller, Buffalo Center, Iowa, Cheri Morrison, Ames, Iowa, Coral and Jerry Jordan, Sigel, Pa., Julie and David Brown, Houston, Texas, Jill and Nick Gonzalez, Austin, Texas, Joseph and Adrian Laflen, Springfield, Mo., Jerry and Jill Laflen, Denver, Colo., Jeff and Holly Laflen, Olathe, Kan., and John and Julie Laflen, Pittsburg, Kan. Mary also had 40 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; one brother-in-law, Leonard Curry, Milo, Mo.; and three sisters-in-law, Mildred Brown, Joplin, Mo., Helen Runge. Edgewood, Ky., and Mildred Robuck and husband, George, Annapolis, Md.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur John and Rhoda Ellen Wheeler Brown; three brothers, Crawford Brown, Max H. Brown, and Newton Brown; two sisters, Iona B. Wabaunsee and Nancy Ellen Curry; one daughter and son-in-law, Mary Pauline Laflen Hines and Paul Hines; one granddaughter, Kathleen Ann Hines; and one son-in-law, Michael Beattie.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, Aug. 12, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, with Kennon Shaw officiating. Interment will follow in Milo Cemetery, Milo.

Friends may call until the hour of service at Ferry Funeral Home, in Nevada. The family will receive friends at the funeral home between 5 and 6 p.m., Sunday.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Milo Cemetery Association in care of Ferry Funeral Home, 301 S. Washington, Nevada.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.