Obituary of Mary Rebecca Cyrus

Mary Rebecca (Hartzell) Cyrus, age 86, of Macks Creek, died in Rolla, Missouri on September 11, 2010. Rebecca was born in Camden County on July 28, 1924 to Elmer E. S. Hartzell and Essie Missouri (Newton) Hartzell. After graduating from Conway High School, Rebecca attended Central Missouri State University. She started her teaching career in Grovespring, Missouri and later moved to Macks Creek where she taught elementary school and music. While living in Macks Creek she met and married Arley D. Cyrus on May 15, 1948. After their marriage, the couple moved to Old Ocean, Texas where Rebecca taught for three years before returning to Missouri. Upon their return, they purchased the Cyrus family farm where they lived for almost 20 years before moving to Macks Creek. After returning to Macks Creek, she attended Drury University where she earned her Bachelor�s degree in education and later her Masters in Education. During this time, they had two daughters, Beth and Mary Kay. Rebecca taught high school music in Preston, high school music and elementary school in Macks Creek and elementary school in Montreal and Camdenton. She retired in 1986 after teaching for over 40 years. Rebecca was a long standing member of the First Baptist Church of Macks Creek where she directed the music for many years, taught Sunday school and worked with the G.A. program and with Vacation Bible School. She was also a member of the Macks Creek Lions Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Retired Teachers Association and worked in Adult Literacy. She enjoyed gardening, painting and sewing. She also loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her two daughters: Beth Malone and husband Michael of Rolla, Missouri and Mary Kay Brown and husband Craig of O�Fallon, Missouri along with two grandchildren Christopher and Joshua Brown of O�Fallon, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arley, her parents, brothers Elsworth and George and two sisters Helen and Barbara.