In Memory of Mary Ann Gomer

Mary Ann Gomer (née Fate) passed away on October 21, 2024, in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 80. She was born on August 29, 1944, in Concordia, Kansas, as the second of five children to William L. and Mary Louise Fate. Her father was a power plant manager, so she moved frequently during her childhood and went to several schools. She graduated high school in Belleville, Kansas, in 1962, and then attended the University of Kansas (KU), graduating 3 years later with a degree in elementary education.

After graduating from KU, she married Howard Gomer, her high school sweetheart, in 1965. After their marriage, Mary Ann and Howard moved to Riverside, California, and then Wethersfield, England, as Howard completed his military service in the Air Force. While in England, Mary Ann taught "effective writing" to Air Force airmen.

They returned to KU in 1968, and Mary Ann earned her master's degree in special education. While Howard finished his degree, Mary Ann taught at Parkdale Elementary School in Topeka, Kansas, one of the two schools involved in the Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit that eliminated school segregation. This was a profound experience in her teaching career, and she learned a lot in her first 2 years of teaching children from a variety of backgrounds. She enjoyed teaching her students and helping her students' parents in the Topeka community.

Mary Ann and Howard moved to the Kansas City area for several years and ended up with what she considered the best son on this planet, Brandon, born in 1974. They moved to Springfield, Missouri, in 1976 and have lived there ever since. In Springfield, Mary Ann taught preschool before returning to elementary teaching in the Springfield Public Schools. She taught at several Springfield elementary schools before retiring in 2006. Her last 15 years were spent teaching kindergarten and first grade at Bingham Elementary School.

Mary Ann never met a stranger and had many good friends that she chummed around with going to lunch and other get-togethers. Her friends and their time spent together were important to Mary Ann. She was an avid reader and would read a thick book in a day or two.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother Doug Fate. She was also preceded by in-laws Shirley (Mike) Allsman, Gary Miller, and Kathy Gomer.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Howard; son Brandon (Erin); grandchildren Robert and Adrienne; younger sisters Margaret (Doug) Mall and Darlene (Jerry) Baker; and younger brother David (Tasha) Fate. She is also survived by in-laws Barbara Miller; Charles Gomer; and many other cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

The visitation and funeral service will be at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Homes in Springfield, Missouri. The visitation will be held from 1 to 2 pm on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, with the funeral service at 2 pm, and burial to follow at Hazelwood Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, consider a contribution to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in the name of Mary Ann Gomer.