Mary Cosby

Mary Ellen Dean Cosby, 105, of Odessa, Texas passed away peacefully in her home on December 31, 2013.

Mary Ellen Dean was born November 23, 1908, in her parents home in the rural area of Chikala Mountain, in Yell County Arkansas. She was the baby daughter and last born child of Jessie Edward Dean and Ida Alice Limbird.
She was the youngest of eight children Monroe, Emma, George, Flora, Wilbur, Joe and Effie and Henry who died in childhood. The family worked a farm in Arkansas and Mary Ellen attended school in a one room school house, Mountain Springs of Chikala Mountain, and completed the eighth grade.
Later when Mary was 20, she moved to Holdenville, Oklahoma to live and work where her sister Flora was living. She eventually took employment with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1929 and worked for them until her retirement in 1973 after 40 years of service.

Mary Ellen married Walter Ray Cosby in June 7, 1936. They had one daughter Rhea Dean. They lived and worked in Wewoka, Oklahoma. For a short time the family lived in Bakersfield, California where Ray worked in the shipyards during World War II.
The family moved back to Oklahoma and Ray ran a Sinclair Service Station in Wewoka, and Mary continued to work as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell. They followed Rhea Dean and her husband Roger Sanderson and their new baby Cynthia Lynne to Odessa, Texas in 1960.
After retiring from Southwestern Bell, Mary returned to school to complete her GED certification at Odessa College where she was recognized as their Outstanding Student in 1977.
After Rays death in February, 1976, Mary followed her daughter Rhea Dean to Houston while Rhea pursued her law degree at the University of Houston, and spent time with Rhea and her granddaughter Cindy and her husband Mike who were living there also.
She and her daughter later returned to Odessa after several years in Houston living in the Galleria area to be near her granddaughter and her family and to be near her two greatgrandchildren.

Mary lived a long and interesting life. She lived independently all of her life, managing her home and finances, fiercely strong and selfreliant. She enjoyed gardening and spending time with neighborhood friends and former coworkers. She was an active gardener and shared vegetables with her family and friends.
She was a loving babysitter to her granddaughter Cindy and later to Jennifer and Michael. She created beautiful dresses and doll clothes for both girls, and was an excellent seamstress.
She spent many hours coloring, drawing, walking, reading to, cooking for and entertaining four generations. She still made you a birthday cake every year and made holiday dishes to share on Thanksgiving and Christmas. She was a delight and amazement to her family and all her friends. She truly enriched our lives.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband Walter Ray Cosby, and her daughter, Rhea Dean Sanderson Bowman.

Mary is survived by her granddaughter, Cynthia Kuykendall and her husband Mike of Odessa, her greatgrandchildren Jennifer Vierkant and her husband Luke, Michael Kuykendall, and her greatgreat grandson Preston Luke Vierkant, all of Houston.

The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Dar, Dr. Sanford, Dr. Garza, Dr. Unruh and Dr. Stockbridge and to all the nurses of Encompass Home Health who assisted with her care for their warmth and compassion.
The family sends special thanks to her friends Patsy Salmon, Nita Martel, and Imogene Courtney who looked in and visited her often.

Visitation

Sunset Memorial Funeral Home
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Friday, January 3, 2014
9:00 am 8:00 pm

Service

Funeral Service

Sunset Memorial Chapel
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Saturday, January 4, 2014
4:00 pm

Cemetery

Sunset Memorial Gardens
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762