Mary Lou Wade

Mary Lou "Marylu" Bond Wade joyfully entered Heaven on Sept. 19, 2025, after her body was ravaged by cancer for eight years. She was born Feb. 1, 1947, in Mississippi, where her family lived for seven years before moving to Issaquah, Wash. She graduated from Issaquah High School in 1965 and attended Washington State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education. She taught school in La Center, Wash, Lakeview, Ore., and Grandview, Idaho. She went on to attend summers at the University of Washington, earning lifetime teaching credentials and teacher certification for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. In 1982, her family moved to Cheney, Wash., where they have resided for 43 years. She earned a Master of Arts degree from Eastern Washington University in 1985 and taught at the former Robert Reid Lab School, Spokane Community College's Head Start program, and Spokane Public Schools' Transition School for Homeless Kids. She retired in 2007 from Pratt Elementary but continued to volunteer in classrooms in Spokane and Cheney for another 14 years. She poured her heart into the lives of the children and adults that she taught. Marylu met her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, at WSU during a dormitory Bible study in the book of Hebrews. She has been a Christ follower for 60 years. She became interested in overseas missions after reading "Through Gates of Splendor" and attended Multnomah School of the Bible in 1971-72. She was introduced to AWANA kids' clubs in 1982 and has volunteered for 43 years: teaching kids, directing and coaching adults, presenting teacher-training workshops in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, and Mississippi, and helping at summer camps. She has been a member of Cheney Community Church for the past 25 years, where she chaired the mission committee for 17 years, taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and served on various committees. It was her heart's desire that all who knew her would know the God who loved and saved her. Her favorite hobby and sport centered around her horses, which played a major part in her life for the past 44 years. For eight years, she and her husband volunteered with Frog Hollow 4-H: riding in the Cheney Rodeo Parade and competitive trail rides and coaching kids, and wrangling horses at North Horse Camps in Deer Park. She and her husband also sponsored many field trips to their farm, where the kids had pony rides, hikes, and hot dog roasts. Marylu will be greatly missed by her family and friends: husband of 56 years, Edward R. Wade of Cheney, sons, Matthew M. Wade of Spokane and Peter (Sarrah) J. Wade of Lincoln, Calif.; six grandchildren; and brother, James S. Bond of Clearwater, Fla.; plus extended family from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Missouri and Mississippi. In her memory, write a letter to a missionary your church supports, thanking them for their service to the Lord, and send along a monetary gift. If you don't have a church, please send it to Cheney Community Church. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct 4, 2025, at Cheney Community Church, 1307 Third St., Cheney. All are welcome to come celebrate a life well-lived.