Mary Elizabeth Herndon, 66, of Jackson completed the journey to her heavenly resting place Saturday, April 24, 2021, while visiting family in Las Vegas, Nevada.

She was born Oct. 2, 1954, in Cape Girardeau to Kenrick and Kathleen Kuehn Gibbar.

Mary graduated from Jackson High School in 1973 and received her Bachelor of Science in education degree in 1977 and her Master of Arts in education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1992. She taught at Emerson Elementary School in Cairo, Illinois, starting in 1990 and retiring in 2015. In November 2009, she was declared a National Board Certified Teacher and was one of the Heartland's Best Teachers for 2009-2010. She had a passion for teaching, history, traveling and music, especially rock n' roll. She loved to teach children to read and wanted to make sure all children had a great foundation for their education.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson.

Mary's laugh was unique, loud and contagious. For anyone who knew her, you can hear it now while reading this.

Above all else Mary loved her children and grandchildren more than anything. She would brag about them everywhere she went to anyone who would listen. She came to every sporting event and school play she could. She was there taking pictures, holding up a poster, or just giving them a hug and telling them how great they did. Trips to the movies and especially the book store or book fair at school were some of her favorite things to do with them. Grandma Mary was loved so much and will be dearly missed.

Loving survivors include her four children, Anne (Charlie) Quatmann and Sarah Cairns, both of Gordonville; Becky (Jessica) Desautels of Las Vegas and Samuel "Andy" (Lenore) Herndon V of Jackson; 11 grandchildren, Haylee Quatmann, Brody Quatmann, Forrest Labelle, Hunter Miller, Autumn Glosemeyer, Chase Glosemeyer, Summer Cairns, Lorelai Desautels, Luke Desautels, Samuel Herndon VI and Jack Herndon; her father; siblings, Debbie (Dave) Bollinger, Peggy Spooler, Barbara Gibbar and Kenny Gibbar; nephews and many close friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother and an infant brother, Gerald Gibbar.

A memorial visitation will be from 4 p.m. until service time Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The funeral service follows at 7 p.m. Thursday, with Bob Antill officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois, 8108 S. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60620, in loving memory of one of her dearest friends, Karen Adkinson, and the Adkinson family.

Online condolences may be made at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.