Mary Claudia (Willey) Mcdougal Willis
August 1, 1915 — December 30, 2014
MARY CLAUDIA WILLEY MCDOUGAL WILLIS
1915 - 2014
Mary McDougal Willis of Mesa, Arizona; Boise and McCall, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2014, after a long and full life at the age of 99. She was born near Roseberry on August 1, 1915, to Claude and Mary (Spickelmire) Willey. She was the 5th child of 4 sons and 4 daughters born to this Long Valley pioneer couple.
Mary was raised—along with her siblings, Emery, Hugh, Vada, Meryl, Lottie, Frank and Jack—on the ranch her parents homesteaded in Long Valley. She attended rural grammar schools (often on horseback) near the ranch, and high school in Donnelly, where she loved to play basketball with her high school team. She graduated from Donnelly High School as valedictorian of the class of 1933.
Mary and Ralph (Speck) McDougal were married November 28, 1934. They operated a grocery store (Ralph’s Cash Store) in Donnelly until 1952, when they sold the store and moved to McCall. Mary worked part time as a clerk in the McCall Post Office for a few years prior to 1956. In 1956 she began working full time and continued until she retired from the USPS in 1976. After both retired, Mary and Speck enjoyed their winters as snowbirds in various parts of Arizona. During their entire married life, they loved nothing more than to just get in their car and see where the roads took them. It would not be out of the question for them to leave half full coffee cups on the kitchen table and the front door unlocked, and to end up in Indianapolis (where Bud and family lived) or Alabama (where Pat and Marion lived). They were wonderful dancers (both round and square) and loved to partake whenever they could. Speck died from cancer July 7, 1979.
Mary married Don Willis August 25, 1991. Mary and Don also spent many winters as Arizona snowbirds and enjoyed paying visits to their friends and family. Mary and Don provided great support to many family and friends through those family and friends’ elder and infirm years. They lived in Boise and spent their last years together at the Heatherwood Retirement Community in Boise. Mary and Don became avid Boise State Bronco football fans and loved to watch them on television. Don passed away September 12, 2011. Mary continued to follow the Broncos even after she could no longer see television due to macular degeneration.
In July 2012, Mary moved from Boise to Mesa, Arizona to live with her son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Marie McDougal. In late February 2013, Mary moved to Horizon Bay Senior Living Community in Apache Junction, Arizona; and in September 2014 to Red Mountain Reflections Assisted Living facility in Mesa, Arizona, where she spent her last few months. Mary showed remarkable resilience and optimism. As she gradually experienced the loss of her sight, hearing, and mobility—and became more and more dependent upon supplemental oxygen—she took things in stride, smiled often and rarely complained.
In addition to her husbands, Speck and Don, Mary was preceded in death by an infant son in 1936, her son Bud McDougal of Indianapolis in 2010, and all 7 of her siblings. She is survived by her son Lee (Marie) McDougal of Mesa, AZ, and her son Pat (Marion) McDougal of Oregon City, OR. She has nine grandchildren: Bruce McDougal of Arvada, CO; Lisa (Wesley Ryan) McDougal of Elizabethtown, KY; Anne McDougal of Indianapolis, IN; Molly McDougal of Springfield, OH; Mike (Mary) McDougal of Tacoma, WA; Jay (Tracy) McDougal of Corvallis, OR; Peter (Wendy) McDougal of Wilsonville, OR; Carol (David) McDougal Hess of University Place, WA; and Dave McDougal of New York, NY and Miami, FL. She is also survived by 7 great-granddaughters, 11 great-grandsons.
Mary was much loved and admired throughout her long and full life. She actively kept up with friends and shared her love for family—and was a pillar of each of her communities. She deeply touched those she knew and will be greatly missed.
Cremation was conducted soon after death in Arizona. A Celebration of Life will be held next summer in Idaho. The specific date, time and location of that celebration will be announced after arrangements are made. Mary’s ashes will be interned next to her beloved Speck, infant son, and Bud, at Crown Point Cemetery in Cascade, ID.
In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society; P.O. Box 22718; Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or online at https://donate.cancer.org/index
Arrangements entrusted to Heikkila Funeral Chapel, McCall, Idaho; http://www.heikkilafuneralchapel.com/
1915 - 2014
Mary McDougal Willis of Mesa, Arizona; Boise and McCall, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2014, after a long and full life at the age of 99. She was born near Roseberry on August 1, 1915, to Claude and Mary (Spickelmire) Willey. She was the 5th child of 4 sons and 4 daughters born to this Long Valley pioneer couple.
Mary was raised—along with her siblings, Emery, Hugh, Vada, Meryl, Lottie, Frank and Jack—on the ranch her parents homesteaded in Long Valley. She attended rural grammar schools (often on horseback) near the ranch, and high school in Donnelly, where she loved to play basketball with her high school team. She graduated from Donnelly High School as valedictorian of the class of 1933.
Mary and Ralph (Speck) McDougal were married November 28, 1934. They operated a grocery store (Ralph’s Cash Store) in Donnelly until 1952, when they sold the store and moved to McCall. Mary worked part time as a clerk in the McCall Post Office for a few years prior to 1956. In 1956 she began working full time and continued until she retired from the USPS in 1976. After both retired, Mary and Speck enjoyed their winters as snowbirds in various parts of Arizona. During their entire married life, they loved nothing more than to just get in their car and see where the roads took them. It would not be out of the question for them to leave half full coffee cups on the kitchen table and the front door unlocked, and to end up in Indianapolis (where Bud and family lived) or Alabama (where Pat and Marion lived). They were wonderful dancers (both round and square) and loved to partake whenever they could. Speck died from cancer July 7, 1979.
Mary married Don Willis August 25, 1991. Mary and Don also spent many winters as Arizona snowbirds and enjoyed paying visits to their friends and family. Mary and Don provided great support to many family and friends through those family and friends’ elder and infirm years. They lived in Boise and spent their last years together at the Heatherwood Retirement Community in Boise. Mary and Don became avid Boise State Bronco football fans and loved to watch them on television. Don passed away September 12, 2011. Mary continued to follow the Broncos even after she could no longer see television due to macular degeneration.
In July 2012, Mary moved from Boise to Mesa, Arizona to live with her son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Marie McDougal. In late February 2013, Mary moved to Horizon Bay Senior Living Community in Apache Junction, Arizona; and in September 2014 to Red Mountain Reflections Assisted Living facility in Mesa, Arizona, where she spent her last few months. Mary showed remarkable resilience and optimism. As she gradually experienced the loss of her sight, hearing, and mobility—and became more and more dependent upon supplemental oxygen—she took things in stride, smiled often and rarely complained.
In addition to her husbands, Speck and Don, Mary was preceded in death by an infant son in 1936, her son Bud McDougal of Indianapolis in 2010, and all 7 of her siblings. She is survived by her son Lee (Marie) McDougal of Mesa, AZ, and her son Pat (Marion) McDougal of Oregon City, OR. She has nine grandchildren: Bruce McDougal of Arvada, CO; Lisa (Wesley Ryan) McDougal of Elizabethtown, KY; Anne McDougal of Indianapolis, IN; Molly McDougal of Springfield, OH; Mike (Mary) McDougal of Tacoma, WA; Jay (Tracy) McDougal of Corvallis, OR; Peter (Wendy) McDougal of Wilsonville, OR; Carol (David) McDougal Hess of University Place, WA; and Dave McDougal of New York, NY and Miami, FL. She is also survived by 7 great-granddaughters, 11 great-grandsons.
Mary was much loved and admired throughout her long and full life. She actively kept up with friends and shared her love for family—and was a pillar of each of her communities. She deeply touched those she knew and will be greatly missed.
Cremation was conducted soon after death in Arizona. A Celebration of Life will be held next summer in Idaho. The specific date, time and location of that celebration will be announced after arrangements are made. Mary’s ashes will be interned next to her beloved Speck, infant son, and Bud, at Crown Point Cemetery in Cascade, ID.
In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society; P.O. Box 22718; Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; or online at https://donate.cancer.org/index
Arrangements entrusted to Heikkila Funeral Chapel, McCall, Idaho; http://www.heikkilafuneralchapel.com/
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