Mary Gaston

Graveside services for Mary Anna Gaston, 77, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 14, at Baptist Hill Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

Mrs. Gaston passed away at 2:43 a.m., Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Brooke Haven Healthcare.

She was born October 21, 1945, at Morrilton, Arkansas, to Bluford Layfette Stewart and Edna Venable Stewart. The family moved to England, Arkansas, where Mary was raised along with her seven sisters and four brothers; she was the 5th child. She married Freeman Blake and to their union two children were born, a daughter, Sandra Kaye and a son, Mikel. Later in life she married L. C. Gaston, the love of her life, who preceded her in death in 1988. Mary became a CNA and worked at the England Hospital. She cared for her husband in his illness. After he passed away she moved to Missouri to help care for her mother. Mary then made West Plains her home. She lived in the high rise apartments for many years until her health declined, at which time she made Brooke Haven Healthcare her home. She loved traveling, exploring new places and walking (often two miles per day). She enjoyed being outside, admiring nature and bird watching. Mary was a very caring person with a big heart and would go without to help those she loved in need. Mrs. Gaston was a member of Central Church of Christ where she attended until her health prevented her from going.

She is survived by her son, Mikel Blake and wife, Mamie, Hot Springs, Arkansas and their four boys and one granddaughter; three great-grandchildren; two granddaughters, Jamie Bowersox and husband, Rick and their daughter, Abigale, Bryan, Texas and Julie Wheeler and her daughter, Ashley, Searcy, Arkansas; and three sisters, Kathy Varnell, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Rubye Scott and husband, James, Angelton, Texas and Faye Durham, West Plains, Missouri.

Her parents, husband, one daughter, Sandra, four brothers and three sisters, preceded her in death.

Mrs. Gaston will lie in state from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Baptist Hill Cemetery and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO 65775. Online condolences may be expressed at www.robertsondrago.com.