Mary Ellis VanDuker Hannon

Mary Ellis VanDuker Hannon, 85, of Moscow, ID, passed away Monday, May 19, 2025, in Seattle, WA, after complications from a heart surgery.

Mary Ellis was born in Gainesville, TX and was still connected to high school friends from there. She worked two separate times as a secretary; in the late 1950s in a security classified role for United States Air Force Security Service, and in the 1980s for Nebraska Wesleyan University.

In 1962, she married John Hannon after they played Mary and Joseph in the 1960 church Christmas pageant. Together over the years they shared a love of travel, both domestic and international, visiting every U.S. state and every continent except Antarctica.

Mary Ellis was an active volunteer in many capacities at the churches she attended, including serving as a Presbyterian deacon and elder. She was a Cub Scout den mother and Girl Scout leader for her kids’ troops.

She loved arts and crafts of many types, including sewing (she sewed her own wedding dress and made most of her kids’ clothes), quilting, ceramics, knitting and crocheting and leatherwork. She won multiple state fair ribbons for knitting and ceramics.

One of her main delights was in spending time with her grandchildren and great-grands. There were often cooking, baking or crafting projects, with her gentle guidance showing the way. She and John took all of their grandchildren on international trips around age 13.

Mary Ellis is survived by her devoted husband of 63 years, John, and three children: Bet (Va Nee), Greg (Laurie) and Jeff (Cathy). She is also survived by sisters Sherry (Pat) and Carla, four granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at Community Congregational United Church of Christ, 525 NE Campus St., Pullman. Graveside services will be held Saturday, June 21, at 10 a.m. CDT, at Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville, Texas.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.