Mary Emma Kanady Schaller

Mary Emma Kanady Schaller, of Fayetteville, Ark., died Friday, March 8, 2013, at the age of 90, at Butterfield Trail Village. She was born April 28, 1922, in Las Vegas, NM, the third child of Garland Hanna and Ada Proctor Kanady. Mary was predeceased by her three brothers: Garland Harold Kanady of Ponca City, Okla., Edwin Proctor Kanady of Virginia Beach, Va., and William Alexander Kanady Sr. of Encino, Calif,, and by her eldest daughter, Dr. Jana Lea Schaller Angeles, of Little Rock, Ark. Mary is survived by her husband of 63 years, Chauncey Cox "Pete" Schaller of Fayetteville, Ark., sisters-in-law Esther Schaller Darrow of Potomac, Ill., Jean Kanady of California and Connie Kanady of Tennessee, son-in-law, Manuel Angeles III of Little Rock, Ark., son Rev. Dr. David Kanady Schaller (Rev. Patty) of Horseshoe Bend, Ark., daughter Marcey Beth Schaller Berry (Ashley) of Little Rock, Ark., and grandchildren Carlea Jana Angeles (Andrew Talbot) of Benton, Ark., Manuel Angeles IV (Ashlea Armstrong) of Little Rock, Ark., Genevieve Stella Schaller Kamer (Steven) of Newburgh, Ind., and Jeremiah Lawrence Schaller (Jennifer) of Jacksonville, Ill., seven great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews. After graduating from Miami, Okla. High School, Mary completed two years at Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Mo., where she was chapter secretary for both Alpha Mu Mu and Delta Phi Delta sororities. The next four years were spent at the local Draft Board in Miami. One of her duties was to make sure the draftees were on the early morning bus to Camp Chaffee, Ark. Mary maintained life-long friendships with some of the British RAF cadets who came to train at the Spartan Flight School in Miami, and in later years she, Pete and daughter Marcey enjoyed attending RAF WWII reunions in London, England and Miami, Okla. Following WWII Mary enrolled at Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater, Okla., and in the spring of 1948 received her BA degree in Piano with an Art minor. Fall of 1948 Mary moved to Ardmore, Okla., to take a position with the First Presbyterian Church as Youth Director. She met Pete that first Sunday and they were married the next year. All three children were born in Ardmore. Their lives carried them back to Stillwater, OK, then on to Shreveport, La., Little Rock, Ark., and finally to Fayetteville, Ark. Mary was a homemaker, loving wife, mom extraordinaire, doting grandmother, gracious party hostess and incredible cook. Among her many interests were oil painting and pastels, photography, knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, quilting and sewing, cake decorating, garden clubs and floral arranging. She was a lifelong Presbyterian and served faithfully at First Presbyterian in Miami, Okla., First Presbyterian in Ardmore, Okla., Broadmoor Presbyterian in Shreveport, La., Westover Hills Presbyterian in Little Rock, Ark., and First United Presbyterian in Fayetteville, Ark. Her church activities at one time or another included pianist, organist, choir director, youth director, office volunteer, singer, hand-bell ringer, Mariners and avid participant in Presbyterian Women. Music was a huge part of Mary's being. She and Pete sang for the High Holidays at the Jewish congregation in Ardmore. In Shreveport she was active, along with the entire family, with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society and the Shreveport Symphony Chorale. In Little Rock Mary sang with the Liberty Belles (sponsored by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Home Makers) and was a member of Coterie. While in Fayetteville, she became a life member of Sigma Alpha Iota and performed with the Symphony Chorale. Mary co-founded, directed, arranged music and performed alongside Pete with the Ozark Dulcimer Society for over 20 years. Other interests in Fayetteville were AAUW, Flaming Hills Garden Club and Demeter. Private interment will be held in Miami, Okla., on Friday, April 26. A public memorial service in celebration of Mary Schaller's life will be held Saturday, April 27, 2 p.m., at Butterfield Trail Village, 1923 East Joyce Blvd, Fayetteville, Ark. 72703. Memorials may be made to First United Presbyterian Church/Presbyterian Women, 695 Calvin St, Fayetteville, Ark. 72703.