Mary Goddard

Mary Earleen Huebner Goddard was born in Clinton, Iowa, July 30, 1952, to Earl J. and Beverly A. Kook Huebner. She was baptized into Christ Aug. 17, 1952.

After a brave battle with cancer, she was called to eternal rest Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005, at the age of 53 years, 1 month and 8 days.

Following graduation from Mount St. Clair High School in 1970, she attended Clinton Community College. It was there that she met her husband, Paul. They were united in marriage Dec. 11, 1971. To this union was born a daughter, Christina Marie Goddard.

Mary worked as a waitress, nurse aide and store clerk. While her husband, Paul, was attending Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., Mary became the primary breadwinner by providing child care in her home. Most of her clients were seminary families. She continued in the child-care field for a time after the family moved to St. James in 1986.

While a member of St. John Lutheran Church in St. James, Mary was active with the Ladies Aid, holding various offices. She was also a regular participant in the monthly quilting day. She served for a number of years as secretary/treasurer of Branch 3002 of Aid Association for Lutherans, and helped coordinate many of the branch's projects. She found great joy in yearly trips to Concordia Theological Seminary, where, in addition to bringing donated clothing for the families of seminarians, the Goddards used a grant from AAL to go shopping for Christmas gifts that the families couldn't afford.

Mary Goddard was preceded in death by her mother, Beverly A. Huebner; maternal grandparents, Ed and Edna Kook; and paternal grandparents, Alvin and Emma Huebner.

She is survived by her husband, the Rev. Paul E. Goddard, of the home; a daughter, Christina Marie Rush and husband Timothy of St. James; father, Earl J. Huebner of Lakeview, Ark.; mother-in-law, Mary J. Goddard of Maquoketa, Iowa; two brothers, Roger Huebner of Fort Worth, Texas, and Brad Huebner and wife, Irma, of Erie, Ill.; three sisters, Elaine Gottschalk and husband Dennis of Cave City, Ark., Rhonda Bailey of Clinton, Nancy Ghizzone and husband Anthony of Harrison, N.Y.; and a granddaughter, Rebecca Diane McIntosh of St. James. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Visitation was held Sept. 9 at Jones Funeral Home in St. James.

The funeral was conducted Sept. 10, 2005, at 1 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rolla, Mo. Mary's body was laid to rest in St. James Cemetery to await the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.

Mary had personally requested that memorials be made to her husband, Rev. Paul E. Goddard, to assist in his support and care during his disability retirement years, or to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rolla.