Mary Ellen Cooley

Mary Ellen (Smith) Cooley passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on November 5, 2024, in Melbourne Beach, Florida at the age of 99.

Mary was born in Kearney, Nebraska on March 10, 1925, to Earl and Merle (Blowers) Smith of Kearney, Nebraska. Mary attended the Longfellow High School graduating with the class of 1942. After graduation, Mary attended Kearney State Teachers College.

In September of 1943, Mary married Kenneth Cooley in San Diego, California. At this time, Kenneth was stationed with the Marines, waiting for deployment to the South Pacific. After his deployment, Mary returned to Nebraska. Upon Kenneth's return from WWII, Kenneth and Mary moved to Callaway, Nebraska, where they farmed on Murphy Table. After five years, they moved to town and purchased and operated the Star Movie Theater and Kenneth became a clerk at the Callaway Post Office.

In 1958, Kenneth entered the Postal Inspection Service and was domiciled in Escanaba, Michigan. Due to Kenneth's many career promotions, they lived all over the United States, before retiring in Callaway. Later they moved to Seward, Nebraska and on to Norman, Oklahoma. Her last six years were spent in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, and Melbourne Beach, Florida.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth after seventy-one years of marriage, her parents, Earl and Merle (Blowers) Smith, her brothers, Kent Earl Smith and Fred Smith, and her son-in-law, Walt Charlton.

Mary's survivors include her son, David (Charlotte) Cooley of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and daughter, Earline (Walt) Charlton of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Scott (Stephanie) Cooley of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Ann Moore of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and Jennifer (Phillip) Thomas of Indialantic, Florida; great-grandchildren, Andrew Moore, Bailey (Adam) Pitts, Caitlynn (William) Wilson, Jacob (Addison) Cooley, Jaslynn, Luke, and Holden Thomas; great-great-grandchildren, Harper and Lucy Pitts; brothers, Royce Smith of Bend, Oregon, and Larry Smith of Seward, Nebraska.

The family is planning a memorial Service on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Callaway United Methodist Church in Callaway with Ken Pitkin, officiating. 

Burial will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery in Callaway followed by a luncheon at the church.

Memorials are kindly suggested to be donated to the Callaway Museum or to the Callaway United Methodist Church.

Timm-Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Callaway is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com