Mary Martha (Brown) Crites

Mary Martha Brown Crites, 81, of Jackson, passed away Sunday, January 13, 2019, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home.

She was born January 24, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, to George R. and Elsie Sebastian Brown. 

Mary was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.  She was a 1954 graduate of Jackson High School.  She and George Donald “Tom” Crites were married June 4, 1954, at the Cape County Courthouse in Jackson.   Five children were born to their union and they had been married nearly 22 years when Tom passed away April 18, 1976.  Upon her marriage to Tom, she became a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson.

Mary worked at the following Jackson businesses:  Palace Theatre, Schaper’s IGA Foodliner, Brockett’s Pharmacy, and 29 years at Jones Drug Store.  She previously served as a Brownie leader, 4-H leader, and coached girls’ softball.  She was a member of the Cane Creek Homemakers Club and the Coffee Drinkers Bowling League.

Loving survivors include four children, Linda (David) Bollinger of Jackson, Jeff (Nancy) Crites of Ocoee, Florida, Jeannie (Chris) Starr of Charleston, Missouri, and Lori (Mark) Wasikowski of West Lafayette, Indiana; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and four sisters-in-law, Peggy Brown-McAnnaly, Beulah Crites, and Margie Crites, all of Jackson, and Geri Crites of Cape Girardeau.

She was preceded in death by her husband, a daughter, Lisa Stricker (Jan. 22, 2010); her parents; two brothers, Roy and Kenneth Brown; two sisters, Betty Moyle and Sybil Loos; and seven step-siblings.

Visitation is from 10 a.m. to service time, Monday, January 21, 2018, at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The funeral is at 12:30 p.m., Monday, January 21, 2018, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating.  Burial will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to New McKendree Church or any cancer related charity.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Martha (Brown) Crites, please visit our floral store.