Mary Ness

Wanting to spend her birthday with the Lord, our beloved wife and mother Mary Temus Ness entered eternal life on Monday, Jan. 10, 2023, one day before her 76th birthday.

Mary was born to Joseph and Eleine (Greely) Temus in Puyallup, Washington. She spent her early years on a small hobby farm where she enjoyed gardening and animals of various sizes. In 1965 she graduated from Puyallup High School and then off to WSU for two years.

It was at WSU she found her love, Don. This young, good-looking man swept her off her feet and would drive many a mile to court her. She found herself in Chicago, Illinois to further her education in floral arranging and cake decorating. With this in hand, she graced many weddings, including her very own children and brother. Her flower arrangements brought many smiles to many people.

1969 was the year that Don got down on one knee. Not quite two years later, with a 9-month-old baby boy, Don moved her to Denver, Colorado to live for the next 11 years. There she gave birth to two more sons and adopted two wonderful daughters. In 1982 they moved back to her home state.

Floral shops, cake decorating and meat packing were a few of her jobs she took on. Her love for rabbits made her a tireless promoter of 4H and other youth programs. She raised, sold, showed and judged rabbit shows for many years, always helping younger ones learn all she could teach them. She generously shared her vast knowledge of rabbits with old and young alike – and she encouraged us all and cheered us in good times and bad. She will be deeply missed!

She is survived by her husband Donald Ness; children Raymond (Janet) Ness of Monroe, Washington, Jonathan (Marcia) Ness of Colville, Washington, Alice Ness of Moses Lake, Washington, William (Barbara) Ness, of Wasilla, Alaska and Rosemary (Kirk) Wells, of Moses Lake, Washington; eight grandchildren Mackenzie (Marshall) Miller of Ellensburg, Washington, Ethan Ness of Monroe, Washington, Rebekah Ness of Colville, Washington, Kaitlyn Ness of Monroe, Washington, Jonah Ness of Wasilla, Washington, Camryn Ness of Monroe, Washington, Henry Ness of Wasilla, Alaska and Christina Ness of Wasilla, Alaska; and a brother, Charles Temus of Puyallup, Washington.

We invite you to join us and celebrate Mary’s life at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 at St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 416 E. Nelson Road, Moses Lake, Washington.

Please express your thoughts and memories at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories of Moses Lake, Washington.