Mary Elizabeth Dauber Denney, age 93, died peacefully Feb. 10 under the care of Hospice of Heartland of Jackson. She is survived by granddaughter, Megan Malone (Jeremy Harley) and Molly Malone-Prioleau (Osric), great-granddaughters, Miriam and Evelyn Harley and son-in-law, Charles Malone.
Born March 18, 1921, Mary was preceded in death by daughter, Deborah Denney Malone and husband, S. Wayne Denney along with her parents, Frank L. and Josephine Yinger Dauber and six siblings, Catherine Stewart, Fred Dauber, George Dauber, Margaret Dauber, Clara Richards and Paul Dauber. Her grandfather, John Dauber, was a Prussian immigrant who served two terms as Mayor of the City of Jackson in the 1920s.
Mary was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson and a 60-year member of the church’s senior choir. A 1938 graduate of Jackson High School, Mary was a retiree of Ohio Job & Family Services, working for the state agency through a variety of names: Aid for the Aged, the Welfare Department, and Human Services.
She began her working career (age 16) at Stephenson-Foster Department Store in Jackson, and then as the Society Editor of The Jackson News-Advertiser in the 1930s. After high school, she became the Executive Secretary for the Jackson Chapter of the Red Cross.
Mary was a past member of the Fine Arts Club and an original member of Laura’s Harmonettes, a women’s singing group. She embraced the Welsh culture’s love of music, attending eight Gymanfa Ganu in the United States and Canada.
Calling hours will be Sunday, Feb. 15 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Mayhew-Brown Funeral Home in Jackson with funeral following. Burial will be at Fairmount Cemetery at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be given to the Presbyterian Church choir, music or organ funds.