Mary Donna Gannaway, 83, Apex, North Carolina, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on Wednesday, June 10.
Mary was born on Jan. 5, 1937, at her home in Caplinger Mills, Missouri to the late Don Thomas Gannaway and late Ethel Edna Jackson Gannaway.
Mary graduated from Stockton High School in Stockton, Missouri in 1955. She was a member of the 4-H club and the National Honor Society. Afterwards, she attended St. Joseph Junior College and earned a degree in Music. In 1977 she earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Corning Community College in Corning, New York. In 1985 she earned an Associate’s Degree in Applied Sciences in Radiologic Technology from Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1987, Mary was ordained into the priesthood by the Sanctuary of the Beloved, Inc. of the state of New York.
Mary Donna married the late Jack Richard Hill in 1957, and their unity welcomed the birth of two sons.
Over the course of her life, she worked as a music teacher in Jefferson City, a bank teller at First Citizens Bank in Raleigh, North Carolina and as a radiographer at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina.
After returning to Missouri, Mary began driving the Oats bus and it was the career she enjoyed most of all in her lifetime. She also worked on the Caplinger Bridge Preservation Society and played an Integral role in helping save the 1895 bridge from demolition and it was placed on the historical registry in Missouri in 1993. She also was on the Caplinger Mills Cemetery Preservation Committee and has a monument located there next to her parents.
Mary cherished her lifelong friends, family and relationships she developed during her time spent in Missouri.
Mary was an avid reader and enjoyed a lifelong passion for music and arts. She also enjoyed needlepoint and created fabulous works of art. She enjoyed playing her piano daily and loved singing along with the music.
In the final years of her life, Mary lived between Apex, North Carolina and Stockton. She often spent time reminiscing with her friends and family. At the time of her death, she was surrounded by her family and left this world peacefully.
One of her favorite Bible quotes was, “To everything there is a season, and a purpose under Heaven. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted — Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Mary is survived by son Eric M. Hill and daughter-in-law Jeanne O’Connell, Albany, New York; and son Richard “Clark” Hill and daughter-in-law Amy Brantley, Apex, North Carolina.
In 1988 she married her lifelong friend, the late Gary Sharpe of Stockton, and moved back to her family farm and home place two miles East of Caplinger Mills on Route N. The farm was Mary’s favorite place in the entire world and she often spoke fondly of her time spent there.
A celebration of Mary´s life will be scheduled at a later date as it was her final wish to have her ashes scattered at her home place farm in Caplinger Mills. Mary’s sons will notify friends and family of time, date and location once travel arrangements can be made for everyone to meet in Missouri.
