Mary Ida Niebauer-Corbett

Mary Ida Corbett (née Niebauer) of Fairview, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 20, 2025, surrounded, both physically and in spirit, by her children. Born on March 1, 1940, she was a mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, wife, friend, teacher, and nurse. Mary lived her life to the brim, with droplets spilling out of her cup on occasion. Mary was 85, but rather than years, her life is best exemplified by those droplets.

Mary shared droplets with everyone she knew; her family received full cups. They wouldn’t change that for the world.

Mary was not a passenger in her life; she sat in the driver’s seat. Her life was full of twists and turns, and she met those twists and turns head on. She saw the world and experienced the things it had to offer. She had a deep appreciation and hunger for knowledge, both learning it and teaching it. Above all, she had an unending love for her family.

Mary graduated with a degree in Nursing from Marshalltown Community College. She was preceded in death by her siblings, Chuck Niebauer, Dave (Carol) Niebauer and Matt Niebauer, and her daughters, Anita (Hugh) McGovern and Denise (Lynn) Hayden. She is survived by her siblings Anita (Chuck) Barto, Eddie Niebauer, Rozy (Peter) Havighorst and Joe Niebauer, her son, Ron (Carrie) Corbett, her son-in-law, Hugh (Sondie) McGovern, her daughter-in-law, Benedicte Corbett, her ten grandchildren: Sara, Nicole, Josh, Joe, Eric, Jeremy, Macy, Nicolas, Ana and Thomas, and her nine great grandchildren: Aiden, Aaron, Adam, Ethan, Mia, Mackenzie, Sophie, Sadie and Roen.

A celebration of life service will take place in Fairview, Pennsylvania with details to come.