Mariam L. Munson

Mariam L. Munson, 86 of Sidney, passed away early Saturday morning, January 25, 2014 at the Golden Living Center in Sidney.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Tues., Jan. 28th in the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Tom Hyde officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery. Friends may stop at the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel on Monday from 1 to 7 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mariam's name to the King's Daughters. You may view Mariam's Book of Memories, share condolences, photos and memories at http://www.gehrigstittchapel.com.

Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service LLC, is in charge of Mariam's care and funeral arrangements.

Mariam Louise Munson, the daughter of Ralph and Bertha (Jones) Wickert, was born on April 2, 1927 at Bethel, Ill. in McDonough County. She attended grade school at Monkey Hill and graduated from Plymouth High School in 1945. She married Albert Lee Munson at Bently, Ill., Handox County on Feb. 17, 1945. They lived in Norfolk, Va. while Albert was in the service. Mariam worked in the Port Transportation Office. When Albert was discharged in 1946 they returned to Plymouth, where son Jerry Lee Munson was born on Nov. 6, 1946. Albert began working for Ohio Oil Company, later known as Marathon Oil Company and they began a series of moves with the company. On Nov. 10, 1947, son Michael Ray was born at Macomb, Ill. in McDonough County. In Dec. 1950 they moved to Oblong, Ill., Crawford County where Albert worked as a pumper for Marathon. On March 9, 1953, son Danny Ralph Munson was born at Palistine, Ill. In 1966 Mariam joined the Dogwood Methodist Church and in 1966 she designed a house and worked right along with carpenters on its completion. In 1969 Marathon transferred the family to Sidney. It was then that Mariam began working seriously on her writing and became one of the Charter Members of Nebraska Penhandlers, and was one of the hostesses at the 1974-75 Nebraska Penhandlers Writing Workshops and began Journalism Courses through the University of Oklahoma. Albert worked at Marathon's West Sidney Gas Plant while Mariam worked at the Lodgepole Plaza Nursing Home and later continued her career in the dietary department with the then Sidney Memorial Hospital while continuing her Journalism courses. Mariam retired when her health forced her to leave the job she dearly loved.

Mariam enjoyed writing, having some short stories published, but her family always came first.

Survivors include (3) sons: Jerry Munson and wife Nancy of Tucson, Ariz., Mike Munson and wife Judy of Oblong, Ill. and Dan Munson and wife Jan of Sidney; (2) brothers: Marlin Wickert and wife Jeannette of Plymouth, Ill. and Loren Wickert and wife Jo of Memphis, Mo .; (2) sisters-in-law: Vera Vanbroker of Plymouth, Ill. and Pearl McLauflin and husband Kenny of Ill .; (9) grandchildren; (18) great-grandchildren and numerous extended family members and friends.

Mariam was preceded in death by her husband Albert in 2000, her parents and (1) brother-in-law: Hank Vanbroker.