Mary Lou Haynes

Mary Lou (Rears) Haynes, daughter of Amel F. and Ruby L. (Caskey) Rears was born December 12, 1930, on a farm near Stella, NE. She was one of five children. She received her education at North Star Rural School District #101 in Richardson County, attended and graduated from the first consolidated school in the state of NE, Bratton Union High School, with the class of 1947 at the age of 16. She was the valedictorian of her class. Mary Lou attended Peru State Teacher’s College, where she received her teaching certificate and taught six years in several rural schools in Nemaha County.

On June 10, 1953, she was united in marriage to Henry S. Haynes at the Rev. Harry D. Keifer’s parsonage in Auburn, NE. There were three children born to this marriage.

Mary Lou was a member of the Brock Christian Church, where she served as a deaconess for several years and as an elder in later years. She was a 4-H leader; member of the HOPS Extension Club for 25 years; served as treasurer on the County Extension Council; and was the secretary and president of the Auburn Women’s Club, which she had been a member of since 1981.

She has been president and secretary of the American Legion Auxiliary; held all offices in the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary at the Unit Level; was a VAVS representative at the Lincoln VA Hospital since 1992; and received her 28 year pin award in Volunteerism. Mary Lou was a lifetime member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Auxiliary where she served as vice president in the Lincoln MOPHA Unit #200 and a lifetime member of the DAVA – Lincoln.

In 1968, the family was honored by WOWTV as the “Farm Family of the Week”. The Haynes family was honored as the Southeast NE Quad County Porkettes Farm Family of the Year in 1970. And in 1983, she received the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award from AK-SAR-BEN for the Richardson County Farm, of which she inherited from her parents.

Mary Lou raised many flowers and shared these with her family and friends; was a lover of music and instilled music in the lives of her children, as they all participated in band and chorus during their high school and college years. Throughout her life, Mary Lou enjoyed crocheting, embroidering, jigsaw puzzles, and reading westerns and mystery books. She also enjoyed several “golden girl” road trips with her daughters, where she was able to accomplish traveling to her 50th state. Cheering on the Nebraska football and volleyball teams was the highlight of her weekends.

Mary Lou died on April 26, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Daryl; husband, Henry; siblings, Anna May, Jeane, Donald and Ruby Lee. Those left to mourn her passing are her daughters, Denise R. Irwin, Lincoln, NE and Shela K. and her husband Tom Moss, Creston, IA. Granddaughters Rachelle (Orlando) Matos, Parrish, FL and Danelle Ohnmacht, Peoria, AZ. Great Granddaughter Zuleyka Matos. Nieces and nephews and many friends.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 30, 2:00 p.m. at Hemmingsen Funeral Home in Auburn. Burial will follow in Sheridan Cemetery of Auburn. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with family greeting friends 5:00 to 7:00.

Memorials are suggested to Southeast Nebraska Cancer Memorial Garden at Humboldt.