Mary Elizabeth Molloy

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Mary Elizabeth Molloy

Jan. 18, 1923 - May 14, 2016

HERSHEY, Neb. -- Mary Elizabeth Molloy, age 93, of Hershey, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, May 14, 2016.

Mary was born on the farm near Curtis, Neb. on Jan. 18, 1923, to Frank F. and Anna Katie Bollner Thompson. She grew up on the farm and attended country school and then resided with her aunt, Elisabeth Cumming, while attending Cambridge High School, graduating in 1941. Mary then attended McCook Junior College and received her associate degree. She majored in nursing and was involved in half-court basketball, volleyball, archery and badminton. During college she worked by cleaning the lab and outlining books.

After college she worked at the Indianola, Neb., Prisoner of War Camp during World War II. Mary was hired primarily to answer the phone but soon found herself taking dictation and transcribing. Later she became a post exchange clerk.

One of her duties was to get cigarettes, beer, pop, candy bars, plus sundries for pick-up to the side camps. German prisoners were brought to Indianola by train and then marched the mile north from town to camp after dark. She would watch or listen to the huge number of German soldiers swish, swishing as they marched the goose step on the gravel road. Nearly every day girls from other offices on camp would come to the PX during their lunch hour and dance the Jitterbug to the tunes on the jukebox. Sometimes during their lunch hour they would walk around the whole camp. Many times they would talk to the GI's and watch them play ball. The camp closed briefly in June of 1944. In July it reopened and when she reapplied she met her future husband, Joseph Michael Molloy, Jr., guarding the main gate.

Mary and Joseph were married on Nov. 2, 1944. Two daughters were born to this union, Ann Elizabeth and Betty Jo. They resided in Chicago, Ill., and then returned to Nebraska.

Mary and the girls continued the tradition of living with Aunt Beth while the girls attended Cambridge Public Schools, returning to the family farm each summer. During this time Mary worked as a nurse's aide at the hospital and then in the school cafeteria until the girls were through school. She then returned to the family farm to help her brother, William F. Thompson in 1968. She and Bill built a new home in Hershey in 1985, where she has resided since.

Mary was a 60-plus year member of the Curtis United Methodist Church. She enjoyed crafting, sewing, quilting, needle work, cooking, gardening, canning, and feeding and watching the birds. She especially loved the six dogs she had over the years. She was an independent woman who was still mowing her lawn at 91 years of age.

She is survived by her two daughters, Ann Beatty of Hershey and Betty Jo (James) Peterman, of Big Springs, Neb.; three grandchildren, Lindsey (Jesse) Pouillon, of Bend, Ore., Allison (Travis) Wilkinson, of Omaha, Neb., and David (Tara) Peterman, of McCook, Neb.; four great-grandchildren, Faith, Casey, Cooper and Gwendalynn Wilkinson; another great-grandbaby, Pouillon is expected in October; step-grandchildren, Katherine Reed, of Grand Island, Neb. and Steven Beatty of Colorado; step-great-granddaughter, Stephanie Gilmore of North Platte; four step-great great-grandsons, Jarison, Drue and Lathan Huntsman and Adrian Gilmore; and other family.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Anna Thompson; brother, William F. Thompson; and son-in-law, Evan Beatty.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Chaplain Gary Smith officiating. Burial will be at noon in the Curtis Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore in North Platte, 302 Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the Hershey United Methodist Church, Curtis United Methodist Church or Hershey Volunteer Fire Department.