Mary Petras, age 95

Mary J. Petras

Mary Petras of Kadoka, S.D., died on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at the Kadoka Nursing Home at the age of 95.
 
Mary J. Petras was born on December 2, 1921, to Linza and Belle Ora (Peck) Conlee on her parents homestead located five miles west of Kadoka.
 
She grew up on the homestead and attended rural school, graduating from Kadoka High School. Mary worked at various places in the Kadoka area including the Pearl Hotel – feeding the passengers off the daily train, having 20 minutes to get them back on the train. 
 
She worked at Kuhn’s on Main St. and cleaned the rooms for a number of motels, Sundowner, Silver Court, and Ponderosa, and lastly working in the kitchen of the Kadoka Nursing Home – her finally home.
 
She was united in marriage to Andrew “Andy” Petras on October 25, 1947, making Kadoka their home their whole married life. To this union five children were born, Gary, Wayne, Marcene, Andy and Marsha. 
 
After the death of her husband on December 12, 2000, she continued to reside at their home, later moving to Gateway Apartments and Kadoka Nursing Home.
 
Mary was happiest working in her two garden spots out back of the house. With the grandchildren coming to help pick potato bugs or dig a crop of potatoes. Always with her apron on, she spent hours and hours canning and freezing for the winter months. Mary was not a big socializer but loved to visit when someone stopped by. She read her Bible daily.
 
Survivors include three sons, Gary (Linda) Petras of Kadoka, Wayne (Dawn) Petras of Augusta, Wisc., and Andy (Julie) Petras of Surrey, N.D.; two daughters, Marcene (Edward) Buehrer of Hartford, Ill., and Marsha (Mark) Rayfield of Granby, Colo.; 20 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
 
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Andy; her parents; one grandson, Jamie Petras; two brothers, Andrew and Arthur Conlee; and five sisters, Mabel, Sylvia, Lucille, Helen and Eunice.
A memorial is established to the Kadoka Nursing Home.
 
Visitation was held Sunday, January 8, 2017, at the Rush Funeral Chapel in Kadoka.
 
Interment will be at a later date at the Kadoka Cemetery.
 
Arrangements are with the Rush Funeral Chapel of Kadoka.
 
Her online guestbook is available at www.rushfuneralhome. com

The Pioneer Review

221 E. Oak Street
Philip, SD 57567
Telephone: (605) 859-2516
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