Mary Jeanette (Austin) Crossland, 87, of Paola, Kansas, passed away March 4, 2023, at home surrounded by her family after a battle with cancer. Mary was born on October 31, 1935, to Harold and Mary Alice Austin in Fort Scott, Kansas. She was the eldest of three daughters. Mary grew up sewing and designing clothes for her dolls. In high school, she was a majorette and loved twirling the baton.
On May 15, 1953, she married the love of her life, Jack Owen Crossland, in Nevada, Missouri. Together they had two children, Jeanette and Timothy, whom she loved dearly. Mary was a homemaker, and she created a warm home full of Jesus, love, desserts, and trinkets. In her twenties, she ran an alteration shop in Nevada. Later, Mary continued her work as a seamstress in the home, sewing and altering all kinds of clothing. Mary and Jack made countless quilts together. Mary was a skilled painter, and with Jack’s talent in woodworking, they created beautiful pieces of art.
Mary was a devout Christian woman who attended the First Baptist Church of Paola. She read her Bible regularly and did daily devotions. Jack and Mary raised their family in church, and they were active in serving God together. She showed God’s love by being kind, gentle, and caring to everyone she met.
Mary is survived and missed by Jack, her husband of nearly 70 years, daughter Jeanette (Crossland) Spencer of Gardner, Kansas, and her son and daughter-in-law, Timothy and Kayla Crossland, of Olathe, Kansas; grandchildren Shiloh (Eric) Harlan, Saber (Rob Drumm) Crossland, Eli (Hallie) Spencer, Kristian (Bo) Gerken, Shadoe (Amanda) Crossland, and Kirstie (John) Lindquist; great-grandchildren Cale, Leland, Jenna, Korbin, Jentzen, Beckett, Oliver, Sam, Hollis, Addison, Hazel, RIver, and Maggie; sisters Allanette White and Jayne Austin; brothers and sisters in law, Roy Crossland, Les (Joyce) Crossland, Carla Crossland, and Linda Crossland; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Mary Austin, son-in-law Dwight Spencer, and brothers and sisters-in-law Larry Crossland, Joe Crossland, Evelyn Crossland, and Vaughn White.
Funeral Services will be, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 2:00 pm, with a visitation starting at 1:00 pm at Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home in Fort Scott, Kansas, with graveside services following at the Fairview Cemetery in Fulton, Kansas. Memorials may be made to the Olathe Health Hospice Care and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
