Mary Alice Wakelin

Mary Alice Wakelin, died August 12, 2009 at Hospice Family Care. She was born October, 25, 1932 in Burlington, Iowa; the daughter of Hugh "Gus" and Alma (Pennybaker) Gustafson. Mary was 76 years old. Mary with her family moved to Tucson in 1946. She graduated from Amphitheater High School and Good Samaritan School of Nursing. She married Fred at First Methodist Church in Tucson on March 30, 1958. The Wakelins, a year later with baby Rand loaded a U-Haul and moved to San Francisco, where Mary put Fred through his last year of college. They moved back to Phoenix where she was an active member of Central United Methodist Church and Queen Esther Chapter-Order of the Eastern Star. Fred purchased the Ruffner Funeral Home in 1977 and the family moved to Prescott. Mary worked as a surgical nurse at Yavapai Regional Medical Center for the next 20 plus years. She was an active member of Golden Rule Chapter 1, Order of Eastern Star and a member of the United Methodist Church. Her wonderful smile will most be remembered by Fred, her husband of 51 years; sons, Rand and Todd (Jessica) and daughters; Trisha and Tara (Monty) Higgins. She was the adoring grandmother of Caitlin and Taite Higgins and Jonathan, Jake, Cole Wakelin and Kylie Bissell. The family greatly appreciates Hospice Family Care for their loving care of Mary and the family.