Mary Ruth (Gan) Deardeuff, age 88, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, March 24, 2023.  She was born on May 27, 1934 to Albert and Wilma (Wade) Gan.

Mary was born on the family farm in Wharton, MO which was a small community located on the present day site of the Ft. Leonard Wood Army Base.  She attended the Lone Star school house, which also served the small neighboring communities of Bloodland, Friendship and others.

By 1943, in order to build the new army fort, Wharton, Bloodland, Friendship along with other small, neighboring communities came under eminent domain and the families left their homes.  Mary's family relocated to the Iberia area.  She graduated from Dixon High School in 1953.

She was married to James Harlan Deardeuff on October 3, 1953 in Dixon. It was a double-ring ceremony with Jerry and Betty Vaill and performed by the Reverend Earl Jones.  Both she and Harlan were also baptized by Reverend Jones in the Gasconade River.

Mom had a vibrant spirit and she enjoyed every moment of life. She was a member of Teamsters Local #833 where she also served as a shop steward.  She worked at Brown Shoe in Dixon for several years and Florsheim Shoe Distribution Center in Jefferson City, where she retired after 28 years.  Her hobbies included going to the Boonville Isle of Capri casino, playing cards, riding her 4-wheeler on her cattle farm and spending time with family.

Everywhere she went, complete strangers would compliment her on how pretty her silver hair looked. She really enjoyed those compliments and was sure to tell us kids about them.

Mom was a redhead when she was younger and worked hard at keeping her house and farm in order.  She was always out in the yard picking up sticks.  After watching an "I Love Lucy" episode, Dad decided she looked a lot like Lucille Ball, so he gave her the nickname of "The Bag Lady."  They both got a lot of laughs about her new nickname.

She was preceded in death by both of her parents, her husband of 48 years, Harlan Deardeuff; one brother, Albert Gan and his wife Gloria; one sister-in-law Gloria Gan; three sisters, baby Darlene, Velma and husband, Slim Bosher and Delores and John Webb.

She is survived by one brother, Roy Gan of Arnold; one sister Grace and husband, Bill Parker of Springfield, and her three children; Judy (and Tom) Roberds of Meta; Wayne (and Jerline) Deardeuff of Meta;  David (and Marta) Deardeuff of Henley; six grandchildren; seventeen great grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren and other relatives and friends.