Mary H. Kinsey, 94, of Seneca, KS, died Friday, January 7, 2005, at Life Care Center in Seneca.

She was born June 22, 1910, on a farm north of Seneca, the daughter of Anton and Mary R. Hinrichs Gudenkauf. She attended Flag School and Sts. Peter & Paul School, worked on the family farm, and helped take care of her mother who was in ill health at a young age.

On April 26, 1933, she married Chester A. Kinsey at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. They farmed north of Seneca for a year before they moved to Seneca. In the late 1940s she and her husband Chet operated the Sunset Acres Service Station west of Seneca. Mary worked at the Gilford Hotel as an upstairs maid and also did laundry for the hotel. She took care of her Aunt Lena and Uncle Herman Hinrichs who lived with the family, and also Mrs. Florence Naismith who lived at the Gilford Hotel, as well as other friends and neighbors.

Mary was a hard working person. She also did laundry for the Starlite Motel, the Linda Motel, and the Cedars 36 Motel. When Chet was the sexton at the Seneca City Cemetery, Mary helped him set monuments for 21 years, often lending a hand with the heavy moving chores.

They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1983, and their 65th wedding anniversary, before Chet preceded her in death on October 18, 1999. She was also preceded in death by an infant son, Joseph, on January 15, 1934. She lived in her own home until August of 2002 when she went to live with her daughter. In August 2003 she entered Life Care Center of Seneca.

She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca, where she and Chet sang in the choir for many years, and St. Ann’s Altar Society at the church. They had a large garden and did a lot of canning. They shared their garden produce with relatives and friends. Mary enjoyed quilting, crocheting, embroidery, and spending a lot of time with her grandchildren.

Survivors are a son, Leonard Kinsey of Shawnee, KS, and a daughter, Mary Ann Haugsness of Seneca; 13 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

Besides her husband and infant son, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Clem, Anthony, Joseph, and Vincent Gudenkauf, and three sisters, Catherine Rottinghaus, Elizabeth Altenhofen (Anthony’s twin), and Helen Grollmes.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, January 11, at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Monday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul School, and sent in care of the family.