Mary Jeanne (Stockham) Gelbach, 74, of Kirksville, Missouri, passed away Tuesday (July 31, 2012) at her home under Hospice care.

The daughter of Carl E. and Rhoda Mae (Barnes) Stockham, she was born November 21, 1937 in Edina, Missouri. On September 1, 1957, Mary Jeanne was united in marriage to Larry Jay Gelbach and to this union two daughters were born.

Mary Jeanne is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law, Terri Lynn and Doug Kriegshauser and Marianne and Andrew Romprey, and three grandsons, Adam and Scott Kriegshauser and Ryan Romprey. She is also survived by her special family, Betty and Jerome Kurth, Mike, Jane, Russ and Dylan Gelbach, Pam and Steve Stanfill, Amy Burns, and Randy, Leann, Eric and Emily Krenz.

She was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents; one brother, Kenneth Stockham; one grandson, Aaron Lynn Kriegshauser in infancy and her very special aunt and friend, Dr. Mildred Gelbach Orwiler.

Mary Jeanne graduated from the Edina High School with the Class of 1955 and from the Burlington Beauty Academy, Burlington, Iowa in 1956. She returned to Edina where she and a close friend, Carol Lee Merrell Bishop, owned and operated the Kurly Kue Beauty Salon. She worked for two years for the Knox County School system as secretary at Hurdland Elementary. After moving to Kirksville, Mary Jeanne worked many years at Sierens Palace and after retiring worked part-time at Crumbles and Cream.

Mary Jeanne loved attending her grandchildren’s school activities and was always looking for the allusive bargain at yard sales.

She was a member of the Hurdland United Methodist Church and of the Baring Country Club.

Graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday (August 2, 2012) at Park View Memorial Gardens in Kirksville, Missouri, with Reverend Bob Price presiding. Family will received friends one hour before the graveside service on Thursday (August 2, 2012) in the chapel of Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Northeast Missouri or to the Adair County Humane Society. Memorials may be left at or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.