Mary Alice Hughes, 81, Thayer, died Sunday, May 15, 2011 at the Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire, Kan.

Mary Alice was born Nov. 1, 1929 in Thayer, the daughter of Roy and Beulah Meigs McNutt.  Mary Alice was raised in the rural Morehead area and graduated from Thayer High School in 1947.  Following graduation she moved to Neodesha and was employed at the Ben Franklin store. 

While in Neodesha she met Carl Wayne Hughes and they were married on June 19, 1949 at the parsonage of the First Nazarene Church.  In 1957 the family moved to rural Thayer and Mary Alice worked at the Thayer Public Schools for 11 years as a cook and later at the T.B. State Hospital in Chanute for 3 years.  In December of 1971 she was involved in a car/train accident which left her disabled.

She was known as “Grandma Mary” to many children in Thayer and loved being with and taking care of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and any and all of the children in town.

Mary Alice is survived by her loving husband, Carl Wayne Hughes, of the home; her children, son Bill W. and Linda Hughes, daughters, Barbara Sue and Charles Wright, Virginia Lee and Charles Blackburn and Nancy and Karl Thornton , all of Thayer; her grandchildren, Liston and Kristy Hughes, Amie and David McMillen, Kelly and Randy Rhue, Paul and  Laci Hughes, Tara and Eric Gossett, Sheila and Noe Vasquez, Marcus and Talia Leck, Jennifer Williams, Shannon and Matt Bogle, Kassie Thornton and Kayla Thornton; her great-grandchildren, Hunter, Carleigh and Garret Hughes, Grant and Cooper McMillen, Morgan, Brooklyn and Cameron Rhue, Madi and Maddox Hughes, Andrew and Lakin Gossett, Seth Soloman, Josey and wife, Nicci, Chelsea, KayLee, Tucker and Tayte Leck, Hope, Gavin and Heaven Williams and Shayla, Tyra and Thornton Bogle; one great-great grandson, Madynn Leck; a brother, Bill McNutt, Whitney, Texas; and a sister, Freda Roach, Lumberton, Texas.  She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Vera Lee Arnold.

Funeral will be 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 20 at the Thayer Christian Church with David Camp, minister, presiding.  Family visitation will be held at the church from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday evening. Mary Alice will also be in state from 10 a.m. until noon Friday morning prior to the service.  Burial will follow at Neodesha City Cemetery.

Memorial remembrances may be made to the Thayer Christian Church in care of Penwell-Gabel Loran Fawcett Chapel.