Mary Louise (Dickson) O'Brien

Mary Louise O’Brien passed away October 9, 2020 at her home in Lewis, Kansas, she was 90 years old. She was born January 24, 1930, to James and Lora (Dunn) Dickson of rural Stafford, Kansas.

She went to the Lamoreaux Country School and graduated from Stafford High School in 1948. She went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone as a switch board operator.

She married Frank O’Brien January 9, 1954 in St. John, Kansas. Together they had five children, Sean (Janie), Wichita; Patricia, Kinsley; Elizabeth (Linda), Wichita; Sheila, Wichita; and Maureen (Michel) O’Brien-Tchang, St Cloud, MN.

Mary was a natural athlete before there were any school sports for girls. She was a fine roller skater and a champion bowler. She never did any shooting until after her children were mostly grown. She went on to become a multiple year member of the Kansas All State Women’s Trapshooting team. In 1998 Mary was inducted into the Kansas Trapshooting Hall of Fame. In her quiet time she knitted all her children and grandchildren treasured afghans.

She was preceded in death by her sons Sean and infant Francis, brothers, Edgar, Herman, and Willard and her sisters Lora Hargett, Mildred Webring and cousin Marie Walter, who came to live with the Dickson’s before Mary was born.

She is survived by her husband Frank and four daughters, one daughter-in-law, four grand-children, Marshall (Tori), Rory, Shena, and Haley and two great grandchildren, Avery and Rowan; her brother Wayne (Joan) Dickson.

Mary was a member of the St. John Circle Daughters of Isabella.

Visitation will be Monday, October 12, 2020 from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. at McKillip’s in Kinsley, KS.

There will be a private family mass on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 with a public graveside service in Union Township Cemetery southeast of Nekoma, KS. at 3:30pm.

Memorials can be sent to the Kinsley Gun Club Youth Program in care of McKillip’s Funeral Home.

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