Edna Mulcahy

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Edna Florence Crowell Mulcahy was born Feb. 23, 1927, to William Arnett Crowell and Amanda Elizabeth Haile. Edna was orphaned as a toddler and raised by her teenage siblings on the family farm during the Great Depression. She entered Jesus' open arms Monday, Oct. 5, 2020.

Edna eloped with her high school sweetheart, David Jerome Mulcahy, on Sept. 23, 1944. They were the loves of each other's lives and spent 61 happy years of marriage together. On their 50th wedding anniversary, they renewed their vows to each other at a joyous celebration surrounded by family and friends at Trinity Baptist Church. Both active choir members, tenor David serenaded Edna with the song "Because." Edna was preceded in death by David on Oct. 8, 2005, and they surely are now joyfully reunited.

Edna attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College in Cape Girardeau following graduation from high school. She and David taught grades one through eight together at the Salcedo School District in a one-room schoolhouse. Later, she became a social worker with the State of Missouri, serving many people over her 35-year career. Always having a servant's heart, amongst many passions, Edna volunteered countless hours in the community at her church, literacy for adult programs and took the wee hour shift at the Sikeston hospital because that was the shift with the most need. Known for her cooking and especially her homemade dinner rolls and cheese braids, she began a catering business in her 60s. Because of her humble upbringing and love of life, holiday celebrations and family were of utmost importance to Edna. She was a ball of energy and always made everyone who knew her feel like the most important person on the earth.

Edna is survived by her children, Lana Kay Taylor of Sikeston, Marcia Ann Mulcahy of Cape Girardeau, Donna Lee (Allen) Reeves of Lebanon, Missouri, and David Mulcahy of Dexter, Missouri. She was blessed with nine grandchildren, Stephanie Leigh Hurley (Jim) Guglielmo of Roswell, Georgia, Ira Scott (Amy) Taylor of Cape Girardeau, Shawn David (Jenny) Taylor of St. Louis, Jesse Aron (Heidi) Reeves of Lebanon, Allison Lee (Junior) Tidwell of Lebanon, Andrew Allen (Alyssa) Reeves of Nixa, Missouri, Kimberly Diane (Jerry) Starnes of Dexter, Kevin Owen (Cari) Mulcahy of Paducah, Kentucky, and Ashley Michelle (Monty) Mulcahy of Dallas. Edna is survived by 18 great-grandchildren, Annie, Emma and James Guglielmo, Tommy, Katherine and Jackie Taylor, Tristin and Coltin Taylor, Ethan, Jaxson, Hayden and Emma Tidwell, Penelope Reeves, Jonathon, Jack, Eleanor, Eden and Harry Mulcahy.

Besides her loving husband, David, Edna was preceded in death by her 13 brothers and sisters, Mabel Mae Chism, Mattie Elizabeth Heuiser, Walter Neele (Boyd) Crowell, Louise Crowell Lacey, Oscar Lloyd Crowell, Boyd Mitchell (Jack) Crowell, Roy Willard Crowell, Betty Jo Byrd, Olice Ellen Crowell Coleman, Ruthie Crowell Keller and three siblings who died at birth; and one great-grandchild, John David Guglielmo. Also preceding her was her eighth-generation grandfather, George Crowell Sr., who arrived in America in 1740 from Rotterdam on the ship "Loyal Judith," landing in current Pennsylvania. He was a patriot of the Revolutionary War. Her mother's ancestor, Thomas Haile of England, arrived in the Virginia territory Feb. 16, 1623, aboard the ship "Truelove."

Visitation will be from noon until the funeral hour at 1 p.m. Friday at Grace Bible Fellowship Church, 1506 N. Main St., in Sikeston. The Rev. William Marshall, pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Dewayne Coleman of Sikeston and Allen Reeves of Lebanon will officiate. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Scott Taylor, Shawn Taylor. Manthem "Monty" Patel, Aron Reeves, Thomas Jacob Taylor and Jerry Starnes.

The family welcomes you to attend the funeral service. If you do not feel comfortable attending, the family requests that you sign the online guest book on the funeral home's website, www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.

If you do plan to attend, please observe social distancing practices, and you are encouraged to wear a facial mask.

Memorial contributions may be given to Grace Bible Fellowship Church, 1506 N. Main St., Sikeston, MO 63801.

Services are under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home in Sikeston.