Mary Thelma Duckworth

Mary Thelma Duckworth, 93, of Cottonwood, AZ died Sunday, January 22, 2006 at the Verde Valley Medical Center. Mary was born in Rock River, Wyoming, December 6, 1912 to parents Harmon DeBuhr of Germany and Ida Mae Berry DeBuhr of Kentucky. Mary grew up on the family farm in Oklahoma, located just South of the Kansas State Line. During her high school years she boarded with a family in the town of South Haven, KS returning home on weekends. She graduated from South Haven High School in 1933. At an early age she joined the Methodist Church in Hunnewell, KS and was baptised in the Chikaskia River near Hunnewell. As a young girl Mary became ill with what was called at that time \u0027milk fever\u0027. As a result of her illness she had to relearn how to speak and walk again. Living with this disability made her a stronger and kinder human being. She always felt empathy for those less fortunate. She was filled with love and compassion for all of God\u0027s creatures. Mary especially had a great love for cats. Her cat ruled the roost. Mary always took her cat with them on camping trips. You would see her walking through the camp ground with her cat on the end of a leash. She met and fell in love with Owen V. Duckworth from Dear Creek, OK. After a courtship of six and one half years they tied the knot on February 2, 1941. Owen wanted to be sure that he could provide for his Mary. Owen was her best friend and the great love of her life. Her love for Owen grew with each passing year. They shared many happy memories together and on February 2nd they would have celebrated 65 years of marriage. Mary and Owen were avid campers after moving to Arizona in 1965 they spent many weekends in the desert rockhunting and exploring the beautiful state of Arizona. They loved to have friends and relatives visit so they could show off their new home, and tried to encourage them to move to Arizona. There was always something to do-places to explore- and rocks to find. Mary was a homemaker. She had the rare talent of being able to stretch one dollar into two. She sewed her own clothes made homemade soap, gardened and canned. She was a very self-sufficeint woman. Her beded jewelry and crushed glass pictures were Mary\u0027s works of art. After moving to Cottonwood, Owen and Mary joined the New Haven United Methodist Church in Jerome. The church was an important part of their lives. They enjoyed helping with church functions and the on going restorations of this historical church. Mary was also a member of the Rebekah Lodge. Mary\u0027s only brother, Charles DeBuhr, died in 1960 and she missed him terrribly. She often spoke of him with tears in her eyes. He will be waiting for her at Heaven\u0027s Gate and Mary\u0027s tears will be tears of joy. She leaves behind her beloved husband Owen, five nieces from Oklahoma: Janet DeBuhr Woods; Ruth Klinger; Linda Snyder; Brenda DeBuhr and Doris DeBuhr. Also surviving are her cousins Mary Ed Chamberlain from Kentucky and Daylene DeBuhr from South Haven, Kansas. A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 27th at the New Haven United Methodist Church in Jerome at 11:00 A.M. Memorial donations in her name may be sent to the Restoration Project at Haven United Methodist Church 597 N. Main Street, Jerome, AZ 86331