Obituary of Mary Elizabeth Preston

Funeral Services for Mary Preston of Elsberry, MO will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, January 28, 2016 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Rev. Doug Roam, pastor of the Elsberry Apostolic Pentecostal Church, will officiate. Serving as pallbearers will be Keith Henke, LeRoy Hunter, John Hunter, Allen Hunter, Lawrence Preston and James Preston. Honorary pallbearers will be Donnie Kinsler, James Webster and Johnny Rutledge. Mrs. Preston, 59, passed away Friday evening, January 22, 2016 at the DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, MO. Born June 8, 1956 in Troy, MO, she was the daughter of Ezra Lee and Mary Wanetta Stillwell Hunter. She was united in marriage on November 23, 1974 in Elsberry to Donald James Preston. This union was blessed with two sons, James and Lawrence. She was preceded in death by her father, Ezra Lee Hunter; two brothers: Charles Hunter and Richard “Rick” Hunter; and her beloved husband of 27 years, Donald Preston who died January 19, 2002. Survivors include two sons: James Preston and his wife, Sherri, of O’Fallon, MO, and Lawrence Preston and his wife, Crystal, of Elsberry; three step-sons: Danny Preston of Branson, MO, David Preston of Cape Girardeau, MO, and Donald Preston of Elsberry; one step-daughter, Rhonda Bishop of O’Fallon; three grandchildren: Collin Lee, Matthew Glenn and Allison Loree; 18 step-grandchildren. Mary also leaves her companion of 14 years, Timothy Rutledge of Elsberry; her mother, Mary Hunter-Parker of Elsberry; three sisters: Ruby Irving, Bonnie Perkins and Phyllis Wyatt and her husband, Robert, all of Elsberry; six brothers: Henry LeRoy Hunter and his wife, Tina, of Elsberry, Johnnie Hunter of Edgar Springs, MO, Curtis D. Hunter, Ezra Allen Hunter and his wife, Curtissa, Jesse Louis Hunter and Billy Joe Hunter, all of Elsberry; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until time of the service at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, January 28, 2016 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the Family of Mary Preston in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.