Mary Hand

Mary Ellen (Shaffner) Hand, 93, passed away peacefully at her son's home in Choctaw, OK, on August 8, 2025. Mary Ellen was born October 17, 1931, in Wiconisco, PA. She was the daughter of Harry E. Shaffner and Ida Susan Louise (Hoffman) Shaffner of Lykens, PA.
She graduated from Wiconisco High School, the class of 1949. After graduation she worked as a seamstress at various garment factories in Lykens and Tower City, PA. She married William (Bill) Lamar Hand of Tower City on March 5, 1952. In July 1965, Bill (working for the US Air Force) and Mary Ellen moved to Midwest City, OK, where Bill worked for Tinker AFB until his retirement. Mary worked part-time at Target for over 10 years. Together Bill & Mary raised four children: Scott, Susan, Barby and Jeff.
She was a member of St Mark's Lutheran Church in Midwest City, OK, and an active member of the Midwest City Moose Lodge for many years. She was a lover of bingo, Uno, OU football, ice cream and catching the red ruby on her favorite slot machine.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William (Bill) Hand, who died in Midwest City, OK, on September 25, 1991; her daughter, Barbara Jean (Hand) Stewart and son-in-law Pete Stewart of Luther, OK; her sister, Winifred M. (Shaffner) Heberling, of San Antonio, TX (previously of Lykens, PA); and her brother James F. Shaffner of Henrico, VA (previously of Lykens, PA).
She is survived by her children, Scott Lamar Hand (Randy), currently of Santa Maria, CA; Susan Louise (Hand) Bellows (Billy Joe) of Harrah, OK; and Jeffrey Todd Hand (Brenda) of Choctaw, OK.
Mary was "Nanny" to eight grandchildren (Jason, Adam, & Timothy Bellows, Christopher & Niki Stewart, Jennifer Clear, and Alex & Evan Hand), eight great grandchildren (Jaycee, Jakeb, & Levi Bellows, Sammi Stewart, and Chase, Will, Ryder & River Clear) and numerous nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 15, 2025, at Barnes-Friederich & Pope Funeral Home (1820 S Douglas Blvd, Midwest City, OK) at 10am with graveside following at Arlington Memory Gardens (3400 N Midwest Blvd, OKC, OK).
The family would like to thank the staff of SSM Health at Home for their love and kindness to Mary in the last few months of her life.