Mary Frances Mauzey

Mary Frances (Daugherity) Mauzey, 95, of Mendon, MO, died peacefully in the early morning hours on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Brookfield Health Care Center in Brookfield, MO, which is where she lived for the last four years. During those four years, she was under the care of some wonderful people who not only cared for her but also became her friends. She was blessed to have two of her children, Marsha and Mike, there with her when she passed away.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at the First Church of Mendon in Mendon, MO. Pastor Charles Littrell will officiate the service. A visitation will precede the service at the church from 1:00 – 2:00 P.M. Burial will be in Mendon Cemetery.
Mary Frances was born on December 14, 1929 in Sumner MO to Amos and Manda Daugherity. She grew up on the family farm near Sumner, Missouri with her parents, older brother Walter and younger sister Imogene. Their sister Eilene died as a child from pneumonia, she was fondly talked about by all of her family. When Walter went into the Merchant Marines, Mary Frances stepped up to help out with the farm chores. She was living at home, so she took over in his place and helped out in the barn lot, drove the tractor, and helped her dad in whatever way was needed.
After high school Mary Frances attended and graduated from Kirksville Teachers College with her best friend Donna McKee. After graduating, her first job was at the Kaye School, a one room school where she had been a student, not far from her childhood home. And yes, she really did ride a horse to school in the deep snow! She taught fourth grade in Keokuk, Iowa, third and fourth grade combined at Sumner School, and at one point she even took on a challenge of coaching a boys basketball team.
Mary Frances married Maurice Mauzey of Mendon on November 25, 1956. They lived in the Kansas City area for a few years while Mary Frances was teaching there. They soon moved back to the Mendon area where Maurice began farming and they settled down and started their family. After having three children, Mark, Marsha and Mike, Mary Frances went back to teaching in the Northwestern School District and started the first Kindergarten class for the district in January 1966. Her daughter Marsha was in her first class. The rest of her teaching career was spent teaching Kindergarten and Music at Northwestern until she retired in 1986. Not being able to totally give up teaching, she was the Parents as Teachers leader for several years. She spread herself broadly and willingly over a span of time. She is fondly remembered by hundreds of students as one of their favorite teachers who made a difference in their early lives.
Mary Frances was always busy. Besides teaching, she was very involved in the Mendon community. She spent many years as a faithful member of the Mendon United Methodist Church and served in many capacities. She was also involved in the local and state United Methodist Women, the University of Missouri Extension Club, the local Bridger Club, and anything else that was going on in the community. She was loved, appreciated, and respected as a community leader.
After the kids were all in high school, she went to St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City during the summers to receive her License to Preach and become a United Methodist Lay Minister. She loved filling the pulpit in many area churches when needed. Her messages were always based on stories of her life experiences that demonstrated her faith and how God had been present in her life.
Mary Frances loved butterflies. Her favorite hobby was collecting monarch butterfly larvae and feeding and nurturing them until they hatched into beautiful butterflies. She loved teaching people about them and gifting many butterfly larvae to family and friends to feed and care for until they, almost magically, hatched into butterflies and flew away. Mary Frances loved to sing. Her Hospice chaplain said she sang with him. Sometimes she sang silly songs, and sometimes she sang hymns.
Mary Frances was preceded in death by her parents, Amos and Manda (Hanna) Daugherity, sister Eilene Daugherity, brother Walter Daugherity, and husband Maurice Mauzey. She is survived by her sister Imogene Triplett (Kearney MO), son Mark Mauzey and wife Sarah (Springfield MO), daughter Marsha Mauzey, and son Mike Mauzey, (both of Mendon), eight grandchildren, Carter Jameson and wife Anna, Parker Mauzey, Emme Mauzey, Ella Mauzey, Kyle Herman and wife Jessica, Lauren Mauzey, Garrett Mauzey, and Ady Mauzey, and 3 great grandchildren, Lyla Herman, Ray Herman, and Margaret Jameson.
Pallbearers will be her eight grandchildren, Carter Jameson, Parker Mauzey, Emme Mauzey, Ella Mauzey, Kyle Herman, Lauren Mauzey, Garrett Mauzey, and Ady Mauzey. Kenny Mauzey will be an honorary pallbearer.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to the Brookfield Health Care Center Activity Fund or Shirkey Hospice. Donations may be left at or mailed to Breshears Memorial Chapel, 207 W. Broadway, Brunswick, MO 65236.