Mary Elizabeth Skeers, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and teacher, passed away from cancer October 20, 2009 in Burlington, WA at age 87. She was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico November 22, 1921 to Oscar and Lillie Regehr. Her family moved to Missouri where she graduated from Aurora High School and Southwest Missouri State Teachers College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She was married in Tampa, Florida May 5, 1944 to Richard H. (Dick) Skeers. In 1946 they moved to Bow, WA where they raised their family, and for 10 years, she taught at Edison Grade School. In 1967 they moved to Shoreline, WA where she taught 15 years in the Edmonds School District at Brier and Sherwood Elementary Schools as a primary teacher and reading specialist. Mary retired in 1982 and they traveled around the United States in a R.V. They then settled in Mount Vernon in 1993 and continued to travel, going on many trips and cruises around the world. Mary enjoyed crafts and was a well known pine needle basket maker. She was an avid reader and enjoyed spending time with her family. She is survived by her husband of 65 years; children: Richard T.(Sharon) Skeers of Bellingham , Judy (Larry) Ashe of Sedro Woolley, Gloria Canniff of Dallas, Leroy (Bonnie) Skeers of Edmonds; seven grandchildren: Carmen (Richard) Stallcup of Frisco, TX, Angela (Gary ) Kutac of Dallas, Christa (Blake) Napier of Seattle, Aaron (Mary Hatcher) of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Michael Ashe of Redmond, Trevor (Lynn) Ashe of Silverdale, and Kelsey(Ryan) Ross of Edmonds; ten great-grandchildren: Andrew Kutac, Hailey, Henry and Thomas Napier, Elana, Amelia and Katherine Skeers, Jackson and Lucy Stallcup, and Annabel Ashe, with the 11th, Ryder Ross, due in November; sister, Edith Durbin, two sisters in-law: Mary Lee Regehr and Lucille Regehr and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Oscar and Lillie (Calhoun) Regehr; sister and brother in-law, Dorothy and Charles Samuels and three brothers, Walter, Clarence and Carl. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's name to Skagit Hospice and the American Cancer Society. A celebration of her life will be held Friday October 30, 2009, 2:00pm at Hawthorne Funeral Home 1825 E College Way, Mount Vernon with a Reception to follow in the Hawthorne Reception Room