Mary Elizabeth Zimmer Silver
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Mary Elizabeth Zimmer Silver, of Evansville, Ind., was born on July 28, 1910, and died Oct. 26, 2009, after her breakfast, a breathing treatment and hugs and kisses to her caretakers at Little Sisters. She had announced earlier that, "She felt really feisty today." She was laid down in her lounge for her morning nap and quietly slipped home. For 99 years she was here to guide, teach and care for all who were in need of her.
She was born in Southern Illinois, the oldest of Mathew and Mary Zimmer's eight children. She graduated from teachers college and taught school in a one-room school house. She married and had five children, but World War II was waging and her family was moved to Evansville. Her husband was a welder and helped build the LSTs. She found work in a sewing factory and became a single working mother.
After raising her five children she moved to Gary, Ind., to raise her brother's five children, and when asked moved again to Southern Illinois to stay with her parents in their last years. She moved back to Evansville and at a time most would retire she became one of the first in the Foster Grandparents Program where she continued to work until the age of 92, but even then she continued to volunteer until her health declined.
Mary was very active in the PTAs of all her children's schools, Daughters of Isabella, Marian Day Auxiliary, Foster Grandparents, American Legion Auxiliary No. 485, United Garment Workers of America and held office in all these organizations.
She was preceded in death by three of her children, Clayton M. Silver, Paul W. Silver and Mary Ann Raleigh; sons-in-law, Donald R. Rexing and Bobby R. Beaton; granddaughters, Terri Lea McCabe and Sandy Boberg; parents, Mathew and May Zimmer; sisters, Agnes Cohen, Sally Lindsay and Dorothy Williams; brothers, Tom and David Zimmer; and nephew, Gary W. Zimmer.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Dora Lea Rexing-Beaton of Evansville, Ind.; son, Joseph A. Silver and wife, Joan of Arizona; sisters, Margaret Hatcher of Harrisburg and Julia Carnett of Ludington, Mich.; 22 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 704 First Ave., Evansville, officiated by Fr. Jay Davidson and Fr. Ted Tempel with burial at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Friends may visit from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at Alexander East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Avenue and from 9 a.m. to service time Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, at the church.
In lieu of flowers, Mary herself requested memorial contributions be made to Marian Day School, St. Anthony Church, Little Sisters of the Poor, or any "hungry children of any country."
Condolences may be made online at the Internet site www.mem.com.