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Mary Frances Humphreys Obituary
Description: Mary Frances Humphreys Obituary... Our Heartfelt Condolences To Her Loved Ones...
Mary Frances Humphreys
July 4, 1929 ~ December 25, 2024
(age 95)
Obituary
Mary Stevens Humphreys, long time resident of Security and Colorado Springs, passed away on December 25, 2024 at the age of 95. She was born in Odessa, Missouri on July 4, 1929, to Clarence E. and Katie (Harp) Follett. Her mother passed away only a few weeks later. She spent part of her childhood with an aunt, uncle and cousin on the Iowa family farm. Her family settled in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with her father Clarence and step-mother Lucille, where she finished high school and earned a Home Economics degree from the University of Arkansas. She also began her life-long membership with the United Methodist Church.
While at the University of Arkansas, she met, and on the day after graduation with a BSHE, married Willard R. Stevens. He grew up in nearby Springdale, Arkansas, and was a Purple-Heart recipient who served with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy in WWII. They began their teaching careers in the small mountain town of Flippin, Arkansas, literally back in the hills. Willard had been stationed at “Camp” Carson near Colorado Springs to complete his duty, so they went west and found the right teaching jobs in Las Animas, Colorado, in 1952. Both spent their entire careers teaching there. They had two sons, and the older son, Rick, died at age 15, after an accident in the school gym. Fred, the younger son, graduated from LAHS, earned a AAS Degree in woodworking in Pueblo, and a Business Degree from UCCS as well.
Willard Stevens died in his 30th year of teaching, just 4 months short of retirement. Mary worked 3 more years in elementary school, until she could retire as well. She helped over 1000 five-year olds get started in their school life. She moved to the Security area to a new townhome in 1985, and began her life of retirement. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Docent program, the McAllister House Museum, Fountain Creek Nature Center, Good Shepard UMC Food Pantry, Kentucky Red Bird Mission and New Mexico McCurdy Mission were just some of the places she volunteered her time.
She was a life member of the American Association of University Women, charter member of the Santa Fe Trail Assn., a Docent at the Pikes Peak Heritage Museum in Florissant, member of the American Assn. of Family & Consumer Sciences, and a member of the Mayflower Descendants of Colorado.
In 1988, she met Ben Humphreys, in an area widowed-friends group, and soon after, hiked down Pikes Peak on the Barr Trail one wet and chilly afternoon. They were married in March, 1988. Together they traveled about 82,000 miles either by van or pulling a 5th wheel, over our whole country, including Alaska. They even went to Switzerland, Portugal and other stops in Europe. They lived in the family cabin, then remodeled home, west of Florissant, for a few years, before returning to Security. Mary has lived in Assisted living, then Memory Care, at the View Pointe community in northwest Colorado Springs since late 2020.
Mary published two books, ‘The Cog Train to the Zoo’ and with Dona Bymaster, “The Rest of the Story, 1937-2006”, about the little train that went from the Broadmoor Hotel up to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Mary is survived by her son, Fred Stevens, and his wife, Elizabeth; grand-daughter Mary E. (Stevens) Calvert, and her husband, Scott, and step-grandson; James Kennedy, and his wife, Rochelle, each with two of her great-grandchildren; Fred’s step-sons, Russell and Richard Pulling, their families, and their nephew, Andrew Pulling; Ben’s daughters, Charlotte Maxey, Judith Grace and Carol E. Garner.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Katie Follett in 1929; father, Clarence Follett in 1985; son, Rick Stevens; first husband, Willard Stevens; and second husband, Ben Humphreys in 2004.
A memorial service will be at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 1201 Leta Drive, Security, on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment will take place in the Bent County-Las Animas Cemetery in Las Animas, Colorado, next to Willard, at a later date. Memorials may be made in her name to Good Shepherd UMC, 1201 Leta Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80911. Valley Funeral and Cremation is in charge of arrangements.
