Mary Elizabeth (Gibbar) Herndon

Mary Elizabeth Herndon, 66, of Jackson completed the journey to her heavenly resting place Saturday, April 24, 2021 while visiting family in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was born October 2, 1954 in Cape Girardeau to Kenrick and Kathleen Kuehn Gibbar.

Mary graduated from Jackson High School in 1973 and received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 1977 and her Master of Arts in Education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1992. She taught at Emerson Elementary School in Cairo, Illinois starting in 1990 until she retired in 2015. In November 2009, she was declared a National Board Certified Teacher and was one of the Heartlands Best Teachers for 2009 – 2010. She had a passion for teaching, history, traveling, and music especially Rock n’ Roll. She loved to teach children to read and wanted to make sure that all children had a great foundation for their education.

Mary’s laugh was unique, loud, and contagious. For anyone who knew her, we know you can hear it now while reading this.

Above all else Mary loved her children and grandchildren more than anything. She would brag about them everywhere that she went to anyone who would listen. She came to any sporting event or school play that she could make it to. She was there taking pictures, holding up a poster, or just to give them a hug and tell them how great they did. Trips to the movies and especially the book store or book fair at school were some of her favorite things to do with them. Grandma Mary was loved so much and will be dearly missed.

Loving survivors include her  four children, Anne (Charlie) Quatmann of Gordonville, Sarah Cairns of Gordonville, Becky (Jessica) Desautels of Las Vegas, Samuel “Andy” (Lenore) Herndon V of Jackson; eleven grandchildren, Haylee Quatmann, Brody Quatmann, Forrest Labelle, Hunter Miller, Autumn Glosemeyer, Chase Glosemeyer, Summer Cairns, Lorelai Desautels, Luke Desautels, Samuel Herndon VI, and Jack Herndon; her father,  siblings, Debbie (Dave) Bollinger, Peggy Spooler, Barbara Gibbar, and Kenny Gibbar; nephews and many close friends.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Jackson.

She was preceded in death by her mother and an infant brother, Gerald Gibbar.

A memorial visitation will be from 4 p.m. until service time at 7 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson with Bob Antill, officiating.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois, 8108 South Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60620, in loving memory of one of her dearest friends Karen Adkinson and the Adkinson family.

Online condolences may be made at mccombsfuneralhome.com

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