A beautiful lady passed today, August 5 2010, from our sight into Gods' arms. She was born September 11, 1929, to Mildred Hardman and William Riley Byrd in Conconully, WA. Most of her early childhood was spent with her very special grandparents, Annie and Andrew Wheeler. They taught her to love Jesus and she passed that legacy on to her family. When she was five, her mother married Jim Davis and gave her three siblings. Her family moved to Cashmere in the late 1930's, and she attended Cashmere schools. In 1944, she married Denzil Pipkin and they settled in Cashmere. Mary always loved to care for the elderly. She was employed for many years as an aid in the Cashmere Nursing Home, while she raised four children, cared for her grandparents, grew a huge garden, canned, baked and cooked for everyone! She was a generous, selfless person. So, please don't send flowers, but do feed or clothe a needy child in her memory. In 1962, Mary, Denzil and family, moved to Lynnwood, WA, where she worked for Edmonds School District, 7-11 Corp. and Emma Chadwick Nursing Home. Mary was one of those special people who never lost her sense of humor or the twinkle in her eye through years of severe pain and the devastation of Parkinson's.

She will be greatly missed by her children, Sherry and Richard Dickey of Lynnwood, WA, Ron and Marilyn Pipkin of Soldatna, AK, Milo and Sue Pipkin of Longview, WA and De and Todd Ice of Cashmere, WA; nine grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; sisters, Rene and Carol; caregiver, Karlene; and many other loved ones, friends and neighbors. She was preceded to Glory by her parents; her grandparents; brother, Don, sister, Della, brother, Floyd; friends, Ruth and Rose; lifelong friend, Lillian; and oldest grandson, David. What a great reunion that must have been! No matter what you called her...Mary, Mom, Gramma, Sister, Aunt, Friend...once you knew her, you always knew she loved you!

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The children of Mary Pipkin welcome you to an indoor potluck picnic at Cashmere Riverside Center on Sunday, September 5, 2010, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Please bring a main dish or salad. We will have drinks, dessert and tableware. Then join us at 2:30 for a Celebration Songfest and spoken memories of Mary. We'd love for you to stay and visit through evening or "until the kids get cranky and the leftovers are gone!"