She, Dell, and their sister Yvonne loved to travel to the Rathbun Country Music Theater near Centerville for an evening of entertainment. She was proud of all her children and their families and was loved by her many friends and acquaintances. She held a special place in her heart for her brother Jerry Byers, a country music singer, guitar player and pianist who preceded her in death in 1963. She had a lifelong love of music and could play the guitar, the piano, and sing beautiful harmony. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Odessa Byers; her siblings May, Dell, Bud, Johnny, Joyce, Ardith, Janice, Jerry, Betty Jean, and Yvonne; and by a granddaughter Chris Cooper. She is survived by her children Gloria (Delmar) Hoch of Melcher-Dallas, Iowa; Barb Schuld of Pella, Iowa; Dwayne (Jane) Pitt of Monroe; Rita (Tim) Raney of Knoxville; David Pitt of Colfax; Sandy (Buddy) Cupples of Newton, and Jeri (Alan) Scott of Chariton; her grandchildren Richard Cooper, Jamie Conner-Morgan, Shelby Chiri, Ben Pitt, Jordan Pitt, Jake Raney, Aaron Trotter, Josh Montgomery; and her brother Hughey Byers of Brookhaven, Miss. A celebration of life gathering will be held at the Church of the Nazarene Fellowship Hall in Knoxville, Iowa on Saturday, January 11, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The hall is directly behind the church on Highway 14. Burial will be at a later date at Greenwood Cemetery.