Mary Shields

Mary Jane Shields, 87, of Bettendorf, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, August 10th, 2012.  She was reunited with her husband, Lester, who went ahead of her sixteen days ago, on July 24 ^th .

A “home-going” celebration will be held at Calvary Church of the Quad Cities, Moline, IL at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 13 ^th .  Rev. Tim Bowman & grandson Rev. Michael Trail will officiate.  Friends may greet the family from 2 – 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 12 ^th at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf, IA.  Interment will be held on Tuesday, August 14 ^th at 12 noon at Evergreen Cemetery, Lineville, IA.

Mary Jane was born in Princeton, MO on April 18, 1925 to Clarence & Leona (Rutledge) Henley.  On September 27, 1942, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Lester Franklin Shields in Mercer, MO.  This September they would have celebrated their 70 ^th wedding anniversary.

Mary Jane was an amazing woman who loved God, her family and especially Lester.  She was the matriarch of the family, loved and respected by all.  She had a huge heart, most profoundly demonstrated by raising her sister’s children as her own, after their mother’s premature death.

From an early age, Mary Jane loved being in the kitchen.  She had the ability to feed a troupe and no one went away hungry.  Over the years, she ran many restaurants including (Mary’s Café) the old hotel on the square in Mercer and the Princeton Sale Barn.  She was the head cook at the Skelly Restaurant in Lineville and baked some of the best Bishop Bread that Riefe’s in Davenport ever tasted.  Previously, she had worked over ten years at O’Bryan Bros Inc. in Leon, IA as a seamstress.

As the daughter of a Pentecostal preacher, she was a great woman of faith.  She had the gift of giving and hospitality; her door was always open and there was always room for one more.  She loved being at church, praying and studying God’s Word.  She spent many years as a Sunday School Superintendent, teaching various Children’s programs and serving as the Missionette Director in her local church.

In her spare time, Mary Jane could be found in her favorite chair crocheting a doily or afghan or working on her favorite plastic craft project.  All of her projects were one of a kind, as she chose not to be confined by written instructions.  She loved playing Pitch with the family, bingo with friends and shopping at the Bettendorf Dollar General, where she and Lester were celebrities.

She was a past member of First Assembly of God in Bettendorf for many years and an active member of Calvary Church of the Quad Cities in Moline as of late.

She is survived by her daughters, Donna (Jim) Crossland of Davenport, Diana (Ken) Spranger  of Bettendorf, Lena (Reggie) Freeman of East Moline, IL, Letha (Joe) Dolph of Clinton, IA; sons, Larry (Jeannene) McIntosh of Johnston, IA, Laurel (Paula) McIntosh of McCausland, IA and Dave (Betty) McIntosh of Davenport, IA; 16 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 6 great, great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brother, Phillip Henley of Tucson, AZ; sisters, Lucy Hamilton of Oskaloosa, IA and Ruth (Orville) Meredith of Bettendorf, IA; half-brother Glen (Ginger) Henley of La Plata, MO, half-sister  Marie (Ron) Johnson of Winona, MO, as well as several brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sisters Lena Margie McIntosh and Anita Mae Slattery,  brothers Forrest Ray Henley, Paul Eugene Henley, Elijah James Henley , son-in-law Robert VanWychen and great-great grandson Trey Holst.

Memorials may be made to the family.  Special thanks and appreciation are extended to Bettendorf Health Care and Hospice Compasses for their loving, compassionate care.