Obituary for Mary Pearce Gannaway

Mary (Marie) Pearce Gannaway, 91, died on July 16, 2018.  Although at the time of her death she was a resident at Commonwealth Senior LIving in Radford, “home” to her was always the family farm in Draper.

Mary was born on September 5, 1926  to Wilbur O. and Lula Carper Pearce of Pulaski, the youngest of 8 children.  She married Thomas A. Gannaway on June 18, 1946.  She was a member of Draper’s Valley Presbyterian Church.

Mary had a variety of interests, including volunteering, genealogy, gardening, cooking, sewing, furniture refinishing, entertaining, and golf  to name a few.  She was an avid bridge player, belonging to at least 2 bridge clubs in her later years.  She was active in the farming community, including as a long-time member of  the Pulaski County Farm Bureau, and worked to insure the Gannaway farm was designated a Pulaski County Century Farm.

After the death of their son, Timothy Lawrence Gannaway in 1975, Mary and Tom spent the beginning of their retirement years traveling around the United States.  They wintered in Mexico and Arizona until Tom’s health brought them permanently back to the farm in Draper.  Tom died on August 11, 1996, while Mary continued to live on the farm until 2016.

Mary is survived by a son, Thomas P. Gannaway (Judy) of Vinton, Ohio and a daughter, Cynthia C. Gannaway of Colchester, Vermont.  She has 2 grandchildren, Allison Gannaway Barnett (Steven), and Thomas P. Gannaway II (Andrea), as well as 3 great grandsons, Cooper and Case Barnett, and Ethan Gannaway.

A private graveside service will be held on August 11, 2018.

Funeral arrangements made by Stevens Funeral Home in Pulaski.