Obituary of Mary Martha Rothman

Mary Martha Rothman, loving mother and grandmother, passed away very peacefully at the age of 87 on March 6, 2019. She was surrounded by her family at Moberly Nursing and Rehab. Mary was born in Danville, IL on August 25, 1931 to Bernard Rothman and Faye Marie Chance. She moved to Chicago at age 10 and then to Moberly in 1946 at age 15 where she met and married Donald Kroner in 1949. Together they raised their children, Michael, Susan and Gerald. In 1967 she married Donald Avery and they welcomed a son, Scott. Mary was a hard worker. She started full time at age 17 at the Hosiery Mill in Moberly and then worked at a dime store and Toastmaster. Later she became a licensed cosmetologist and worked at both Modernistic and Hair World. Her grandson joked that they got to be her “guinea pigs” at trying new styles and trends. After that, she worked in the shoe department of the Sears store in Columbia before retiring. Mary was a past member of West Park United Methodist Church. She enjoyed playing bingo, doing word search puzzles, listening to George Strait and dancing. Mary loved flowers and gardening. Family said, “She could grow anything!”. She also had a passion for writing and kept handwritten notebooks of her life’s events. Some were witty and funny, some sad, but all cherished; especially the notes about how much she loved her family and how proud she was of them all. Those preceding Mary in death are her parents; daughter Susan Riley; infant daughter, Sherry Lynn Avery and siblings, Robert Rothman, Bernard Rothman, Jr., Alberta Krystosek and Rosetta Trussel. Mary is survived by her children, Mike (Ada) Kroner of Moberly, Gerald Kroner of Fenton and Scott (Robyn) Avery of Moberly; grandchildren, Kevin (Rita) Riley, Julie Riley, Melissa (Ronnie Barron) Riley, Angela Kroner, Jason Kroner, David Avery, Jackie Cupp, Donnie (Missy) Kimbrough and Elizabeth (Walter) Walker; numerous beloved great and great-great grandchildren; extended family and friends. Services celebrating Mary’s life will be held on Monday, March 11, 2019 at 12:00 noon at Pathway Memorial Funeral Home with interment to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service. Memorial contributions in Mary’s honor are suggested to the Moberly Animal Shelter, 153 W. Outer Rd., Moberly, MO 65270.