Mary Frances Zook, 98, formerly of Augusta, passed away early Sunday morning April 26, 2020, at Dove Healthcare-West in Eau Claire. She had been a resident at the nursing home since May of 2010.
Mary was born on Jan. 29, 1922, in northeastern Missouri to Clarence and Mary Anne(Shanks) Robertson. At the age of 3 she moved with her family to Brashear, Missouri. She graduated in 1939 from Brashear High School and in 1942 graduated from the former Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, now known as Truman University in Kirksville, Missouri. She taught in a one room school before realizing the desire to travel and in Aug. of 1943 was inducted into the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp. Her basic training was in Des Moines, Iowa, and after that served as a cook and baker at Minter Field in Bakersfield, CA. While serving she met Loyd Zook to whom she later married on Sept. 1, 1945, in Bakersfield.
After the war ended and they were both honorably discharged they returned to Loyd’s home state of Wisconsin and settled in Augusta. In addition to raising her 6 children, Mary also worked a short time at Bush Brothers in Augusta, seasonally at King’s Cranberry Marsh, and for 25 years was the Food Service Supervisor for the lunch program of the Augusta School District. She retired from this position in 1989. Mary was a true home maker who enjoyed gardening, canning, cooking, baking and sewing. With favorite pastimes being knitting, crocheting, embroidery, upholstery, counted cross stitch, reading, doing circle word books, and was happiest when taking care of babies.
Mary will be dearly missed by her children, Jill Zook of Eau Claire, Jean Traver of Orlando, FL, Dane (Connie) Zook of Fall Creek, Dale (Catherine) Zook of Bloomington, MN, Kent Zook of Adams, Suzy (Bernie) Matysik of Altoona; 15 grandchildren, Julie, Mary, Joel, Jennifer, Jessica, Lloyd, Jeremy, Russell, Aaron, Jason, Kevin, Nathan, Andrew, Melanie and Melinda; 24 great grandchildren, Justin, Madison, Natalie, Tyler, Travis, Duncan, Emily, Olivia, Chloe, Jacob, Joshua, Aubree,Owen, Thomas, David, Madelyn, Mamie, Mila, Skyler, Allie, Kyle, Collin, Adrian, Mikenna; 3 sisters, Myrtle Lee Nixon of Fairfield, IA, Anne (Lowell) Hoskins, Jody Watkins all of Quincy, IL; several nieces and nephews.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband Loyd in 1992; parents, Clarence and Mary Anne; siblings, Nellie McCoy, infant brother Harry, twins Clarence Jr. and Jim; and son-in-law Joseph Traver.
A visitation will be held Saturday, May 2, 2020, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta. All CDC guidelines, precautions and social distancing will be followed during the visitation.
A private family burial with military rites will be held in the West Lawn Cemetery in Augusta.