Mary Earleen (nee Huebner) Goddard was born in Clinton, Iowa on July 30, 1952 to Earl J. and Beverly A. (nee Kook) Huebner. She was baptized into Christ on August 17, 1952. After a brave battle with cancer, she was called to eternal rest on Wednesday, September 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 on December 11, 1971. To this union was born one daughter, Christina Marie (nee Goddard) Rush.
Mary worked as a waitress, nurse's aid, and store clerk. While her husband, Paul, was attending Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Mary became the primary breadwinner by providing childcare in her home. Most of her clients were seminary families. She continued in the childcare field during her husband's vicarage year in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and 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; her maternal grandparents, Ed and Edna Kook; and her paternal grandparents, Alvin and Emma Huebner. She is survived by her husband, the Rev. Paul E. Goddard, of the home; daughter, Christina Marie Rush and husband, Timothy, of St. James; father, Earl J. Huebner of Lakeview, Arkansas; mother-in-law, Mary J. Goddard of Maquoketa, Iowa; brothers, Roger Huebner of Fort Worth, Texas, and Brad Huebner and wife, Irma, of Erie, Illinois; sisters, Elaine Gottschalk and husband, Dennis, of Cave City, Arkansas, Rhonda Bailey of Clinton, Iowa, and Nancy Ghizzone and husband, Tony, of Harrison, New York; and granddaughter Rebecca McIntosh of St. James. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Visitation was held Friday, September 9, 2005 from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Jones Funeral Home in St. James. The funeral was held Saturday, September 10, 2005 at 1 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rolla, Missouri, where the Goddards were members. Mary's body was laid to rest in the 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, 801 W. 11th. St., Rolla, MO, 65401.
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