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Mary A. (Carpenter) Galloway

Mary Alice Button, 84

Mary passed away peacefully on Dec. 21, 2018, surrounded by her loving family and friends.

Mary was born March 5, 1934, to Vanna (Chaney) and Ralph Carpenter, at their home in Potlatch, Idaho. The youngest of five children, she grew up and attended schools in Potlatch, Viola and then Moscow, Idaho. Her great-grandparents homesteaded the Palouse area, and she grew up playing and attending school with her many cousins that lived there. She loved to go up to the family farm on Chaney Road and ride horses, and she told stories of her grandparents in the summertime, cooling armloads of watermelons in the creek for all the kids to crack open and enjoy.

She learned to play the piano and loved to accompany her father, who played the violin. Another favorite activity was roller skating, and it was at the local skating rink that she met her future husband, Harry O. Button, of Potlatch. Mary and Harry married and moved to Coeur d’Alene and then to Post Falls, Idaho, where they raised three children: Virginia, Edward and Bonita Button. During the years she was raising her children she worked various jobs, but her longest employer was Hughes Greenhouses in Post Falls, where she was a floral designer and rose grader for about 15 years. Mary also taught private piano lessons and played piano and organ music professionally for weddings.

Mary and Harry divorced and Mary was remarried to T. Orlin Galloway, of Huetter, Idaho. They moved to Coeur d’Alene and Mary retired to travel with her husband for his work with Louisiana Pacific Lumber Company throughout the Northwest. They visited Canada, Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, exploring, camping and fishing their way to and from work locations. When Orlin retired they became active members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Lodges in Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene, and members of the Living Waters Fellowship Church in Rathdrum.

Over the years, Mary gave time to many organizations such as Post Falls Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance, March of Dimes for Muscular Dystrophy, American Cancer Society and Camp Fire Girls. She was also a lifelong member of Rebekahs Lodges of Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene and the Eagles Lodge in Coeur d’Alene.

Mary was a sweetheart and formed lasting friendships where ever life took her. She was the nice lady in the neighborhood who fed the latchkey kids who never seemed to have a curfew, and was always fondly remembered by her music students. She loved her brothers and sisters in her lodge groups and her church deeply. She was a patient at Fresenius Dialysis Clinic in Coeur d’Alene and loved all there like an extended family. She had a kind and generous spirit — the sort of person not easily forgotten.

If not for her, someone who needed love would have gone without it … there would be one less smile, one less laugh, one less hug and the song of life might have skipped a beat. If not for her, something special would be missing.

She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed!

Mary is survived by her son, Edward Button of Moscow; daughter-in-law, Jane Button of Cheney, Wash.; grandsons, Ross Button of Cheney and Nick (Kim) and great-grandson, Lucas Button of Kennewick, Wash.; daughter, Bonnie (Button) Clock of Coeur d’Alene; son-in-law, John Gonser of Coeur d’Alene; granddaughters, Jessie (Sara) Andrews-Daniels of Bellingham, Wash. and Kim (Michael) and great-grandchildren, Mackenzie and Milo Wolcutt of Kent, Wash.; stepdaughter, Shari (Ron) Husk of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; grandson, Tom and great-grandchildren, Lyle and Lilly Husk of Bonners Ferry; granddaughter, Jodi (Husk) Clem and great-grandchildren, Trevyn Colvin of Post Falls (great-great- granddaughter Brinley), Nathan and Emily Colvin, and Payton Clem of Post Falls; granddaughter, Leslie (Brian) Runkle of Elko, Nev. and great-grandson, Jacob Runkle (Ivory) and great-great-granddaughter, Jaydin of Genesee Idaho; great-great-grandson, Carson; great-granddaughter, Samantha Runkle of Lewiston, Idaho; and granddaughter, Shannon Cervenka of Coeur d’Alene and great-granddaughter, Julia Melvin.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Orlin; daughter, Virginia (Button) Gonser and granddaughter, Katie Button.

A memorial service is planned for early spring this year after the winter storm season has passed and will be announced in the newspaper.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Mary’s online memorial and sign her guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.