Mary Lea Humes, 95, of Victoria, Kansas, formerly of Russell, Kansas died on Thursday, March 22, 2012, at the St. John Health Care Center of Victoria, Kansas.
Mary was born on February 19, 1917, in Gas City, Kansas, the daughter of Harvey Lee and Kitty Marie (Torbett) Stuart. She grew up in the Russell area and graduated from Russell High School with the class of 1936. She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Donald C. Humes of Bunker Hill, shortly after her high school graduation. From this union Mary and Donald were blessed with three children Stuart, Nancy, and Elaine (Lanie). She was elected Clerk of the District Court where she served for two terms at the Russell County Court House in the 1950s. In 1963 the family moved to the Houston, Texas area where Donald worked until retirement at the Manned Spacecraft Center. Donald preceded Mary in death on December 28, 2001. She was a former member of the Trinity United Methodist Church of Russell. She was an avid reader, and enjoyed sewing, cooking, studying current political events, loved dogs, Mexican food and spending time with her family. She especially enjoyed spending time with her many grandchildren. Mary was also very adept at crossword puzzles which became a hobby in her later years. An ancestry study by one of Mary's great-grandsons revealed that Mary was directly descended from every kingdom in Western Europe, Russia and Bulgaria.

Surviving family include her daughter Nancy Donaldson of Russell, Kansas; 10 grandchildren: Mark (Erin) Bennett, Craig (Colleen) Bennett, Kurt Johnson II, Leah (Craig) Novak, Steven Garcia, Dick (Gehan) Humes,  Dawn (Mike) McLaughlin, Lori Rice, Mandy Humes, and Lindsey  Humes; 12 great-grandchildren including Elizabeth (Humes) Carrillo and Christopher Humes who spent much of their childhood with Mary and Don.  Mary is also survived by 6 great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Lanie Speck; son Stuart Humes; sister Martha Gion, grandson Clayton Slaid and great granddaughter Cassara Carrillo.

A memorial service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held in Cedar Park, Tx at a later date. Burial will be at Bunker Hill Cemetery in Bunker Hill, Kansas. Cremation has preceded the service.  Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas is in charge of the memorial service arrangements.