Mary Ann Elizabeth Heacock

Mary Ann Elizabeth Heacock was born to Thesus George and Celia (Townsend) Gasche June 11, 1915, at Marthaville, LA and departed this life July 23, 2011, at Waurika, OK at the age of 96 years, 1 month and 12 days. She grew up in Mississippi and Kansas, graduating from Hartford High School in Hartford, KS. She married Samuel Lewis Heacock on March 1, 1936 in Hartford. She was a homemaker and an Avocational Botanist. Mrs. Heacock hybridized Iris and African Violets. She had several plants registered and marketed commercially, and was world renowned for her knowledge of Cacti and Succulents. She was a member of the American Iris Society, Denver Bonsai Club, Cactus and Succulent Society and Rock Garden Society. Mary Ann loved animals and plants, and was very talented with crafts. She learned to speak, read and write Japanese when in her 60's, and was a lifelong student of Botany, all self taught. She was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Lewis Heacock; her parents, Thesus George Gasche and Celia Townsend Gasche; a son, Marlin Leroy Heacock; and a daughter, Anita Fay Winder. Survivors include: a daughter, Ellen Bonnifield and husband Paul of Yampa, CO; grandchildren, Heather Bonnifield Westfahl and Mark of Walden, CO, Juanita Bonnifield of Mineral, CA, Jennifer Winder Bohannon and Robert of Gravette, AR, Russell Winder and Katie of Glenwood Springs, CO, and Samuel Winder of Colorado Springs, CO; great-grandchildren, Samantha Jo and Henry Charles Westfahl, Ashley, Kennedy, and Austin Bohannon, McKenzie and Bailey Winder. Numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.