Mary McLean

Mary Alice Roser McLean, passed away peacefully on 28th August 2016 in Kent, England, at the age of 85.  She was born on September 24th 1930, in Carmi, to Marion (nee Brown) and Clyde Roser and grew up on N 4th Street.  She had one brother, (John) Roger Roser, who pre deceased her.  She was a life-long friend of Frances Fechtig, who worked for many years at the Carmi Times before her passing in 2012.

Her husband Garnett passed away in 2005. She is survived by a son, Neil, and a daughter, Virginia, who both live in London, England, and by two grandchildren, Sophie-Blaise and Jesse-Joe.

She attended Carmi White County High School graduating with the Class of 1948. After working locally, including at the Carmi Times, she then went to the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana to study journalism, where she met and married Garnett McLean who was studying Civil Engineering on a Fulbright scholarship. In 1954, at the age of 24, she sailed on the Queen Mary with him to England to begin a new life.

Mary Alice worked in public relations when she first arrived in London, but then in 1966, became a full-time mother to first Neil and then his little sister Virginia. She was very active in her local church and was one of the first women to take on a leadership role as an Elder.

Despite living in England for over 60 years she still considered herself an American and was always delighted to make regular return visits to Southern Illinois with Garnett, Neil and Virginia. She kept her US passport, voted in US elections and wanted her final journey to be back to Carmi. She has made it.

A graveside service will be held 12 midday on Monday, October 3rd, 2016 at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Carmi and thereafter at the Emmanuel United Methodist Church at 203 Edgewood Ln, for refreshments and lunch. Flowers, if desired, can be sent to the Stendeback Family Funeral home in Carmi who are handling local arrangements. Online condolences may be left at stendebackfamilyfuneralhome.com