A graveside service to remember and celebrate the life of Mary Preston Varner will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 27, 2024, at Woodlawn Cemetery in Claremore. Mary passed away in Claremore on Thursday, September 12, 2024. She was 94. The family has entrusted DeLozier Funeral Service with Mary's care.

Born in Titusville, Pennsylvania on October 11, 1929, to James R. and Bernice (Bruner) Preston. Mary was one of nine children; she was born at the Drake Well which was the very first oil well in the United States. Mary's family donated the land that this oil well is on, and it is now a State Park. Mary attended the Breedtown School in Titusville until the 8th grade. She then attended a Catholic School, St. Joseph's Academy through high school and graduated with the class of 1947. Mary's Catholic faith was very strong her whole life and she was baptized in the Catholic Church at the age of 14. When Mary was 20 years old, she moved to Lackawana, NY and started working in the Our Lady of Victory Infant Home. In 1951 Mary married the love of her life William A. Varner in Titusville, PA. Their marriage was gifted with four children, Tom, Becky, Missy, and Carrie. In 1967 the family moved to Claremore, the community Mary called home for the rest of her life.

A sassy red head, Mary excelled at being a wife and mother. Mary liked to garden and can the vegetables that she grew. For over 44 years Mary was a homemaker. When her children were older, she went back to school and got her nursing certificate. She worked at the Claremore Hospital and then at Internal Medicine until her retirement in 1991. Mary was a people person and had a love of nursing. In fact, she told her children that had she never had a family she would have gone and taken care of people with leprosy. At one point in her life, she truly gave thought to becoming a nun.

Mary had a wide variety of interests and hobbies. She liked to quilt, garden, read, and do crossword puzzles. When grandchildren came along, it might be said "Grandma" became Mary's favorite word. Once again Mary excelled in this role as well. She has left so many special memories with her family that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. Every other year summer vacations were where they piled in the car and headed for Pennsylvania to visit family. She thoroughly enjoyed Christmas shopping trips that always included looking at the Christmas lights. For a woman of small stature, it might be said she has left a huge footprint and legacy.

Mary is survived by her children, Tom Varner and wife Carolyn, Becky Rohr and husband Gary, Missy Gates and husband Gary, and Carrie Hendrix and husband Tony, grandchildren, Claire Helm and Tres, Jenny Roach and Brett, Jeff Howell and Megan, Stephanie Ray and Jimmy, Eric Howell, Colby Rohr and Jenn, Chad Rohr and Kristen, Will Gates and Casey Hereth, Sarah Gates, Scott Gates, Rick Gates and Sagrario, Travis Gates and Korn, T.J. Gates, George Gates, Cassie Hodges and Bradley, Raquel Gates, Cynthia DeLaRosa and Allan, Lexi Gates, Andy Gates, Marcus Gates and Christina, Carlena Walker and Cory, Aric Hendrix, and Chance Hendrix, 24 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren, brother, David Preston and Laara. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 41 years Bill Varner, grandson, Jacob Gates, brothers, Charles and James, sisters, Phylliss, Doris, Bernice, Kathleen, and Helen.