Mary Gearing

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Mary E. Gearing, 79, of Port Charlotte, Fla., formerly of Bloomington, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, at Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte.

Mary was born April 11, 1934, in McClure, Ill., one of seven children born to the late Archie and Helen Jackson Beasley. She married Derald E. Gearing on Sept. 3, 1953, in Mississippi.

Surviving are her husband, Derald, of Port Charlotte; two daughters, Pamela (Bob) Krimmer of Bloomington and Deborah Tietz of McHenry, Ill.; two sons, Jeffrey (Wendi) Gearing of Libertyville, Ill., and Scott (Julie) Gearing of Sterling, Ill.; nine grandchildren, Stephanie and Nicholas Krimmer, Nicole and Nathan Tietz and Austin, Abi, Carter, Lauren and Cooper Gearing; and one great-granddaughter, Madison Nerby. Also surviving are two brothers, Archie Beasley Jr. of Del Rio, Texas, and Raymond Beasley of McClure.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters and one brother.

Mary was a devoted and loving mother for her four children, nurturing them and ensuring they were brought up with the love of family and Jesus Christ. As her children grew into young adults and started families of their own, Mary could be found on the sidelines of any soccer game, cheering on her grandchildren. She was a sidelines supporter of all of their academic and athletic accomplishments.

Mary loved to attend church, bake, cook, play dominoes and spend time with her family. In her senior years, she took up oil painting and loved to spend time painting with her friends and grandchildren. Mary had a smile and laugh that warmed everyone's heart. Her genuine love for her family and life was present all the way to the end.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Kermit Barker officiating. Interment will be at East Lawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Susan J. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation. To express condolences online, please visit carmodyflynn.com.