Mary Frances (Crandall) Otto

Mary Frances Otto, 90, of Lyons, passed away November 24, 2022, at Sandstone Heights Nursing Home, Little River. She was the fifth child born April 9, 1932, in Little River, the daughter of Fred and Nancy Attie Crandall. Fred Crandall, came to Rice County with his parents, A.A. Crandall and Rhoda (Jodan) Crandall, about 1895 and settled in Little River. Nancy Attie Jane Cooter Crandall came from Green County, Tennessee about 1900, in a covered wagon, with her parents, James Alfred Cooter and Rebecca Frances Correll Cooter and settled in Little River. Mary Frances graduated from Little River High School with the class of 1950. She started working as a nurse aide in 1946 at Hoffman Memorial Hospital in Little River. In the fall of 1950, she entered nurses training at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Hutchinson and graduated with a Registered Nursing degree in 1953. Mary Frances worked at the Lyons Medical Center in the nursing department retiring in 1997. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, Rice County Quilt Guild, Rice County Relay for Life, and a member of the Eastern Star for 70 years. Mary Frances volunteered at the Rice County Food Bank and the Rice County Women’s Thrift Shop. On July 25, 1954, Mary Frances was united in marriage with Karl E. Otto in Little River, and lived in Lamar, Colorado and Lampasas, Texas, before moving to Lyons. They shared almost 68 years of marriage. He preceded her in death on April 28, 2022. She is also preceded in death by her parents; son, Karl E. Otto II; five brothers, Gerald, Larry, Wilbur, Jim, and infant William Crandall; and two sisters, Elaine Wilkinson and Theda Crispin. Mary Frances is survived by three children, Karen Pendlay and husband Greg of Emporia, KS, Jeff Otto and wife Judy of Wichita, KS, and Mark Otto and wife Lisa of Grand Canyon, AZ; daughter-in-law, Carol Coffman of Emporia, KS; sister-in-law, Helen Dorris of Lamar, CO; eight grandchildren, Meredith Wagner and husband Jake of Americus, KS, Michelle Pendlay of Emporia, KS, Sean Otto and wife Amy of Kansas City, KS, Aaron Otto and wife Molly of Emporia, KS, Brandon Otto and Anessa Fish of Lyons, KS, Drew Otto and wife Brandi of Lyons, KS, Mark Tyler Otto and wife Riley of Marysville, OH, and Jenna Otto of Grand Canyon, AZ; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be at 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, with Pastor Rob Bolton and Pastor Chris Lehew officiating. Burial will follow at the Bean Memorial Cemetery, Little River. Visitation will be from 2:00 until 7:00 P.M., Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons, with family present from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Memorials may be given to the Hetlinger Developmental Services, Emporia or Rice County Relay for Life in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons.

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