Mary Sue Contine's Obituary
Mary Sue Contine, 90, of Henderson, TX passed away June 21, 2019 in Henderson. She was born February 2, 1929 in Blooming Grove, TX to R.O. and Florence McGeHee. Her birthday (Groundhog Day) was apt, as she loved flowers, especially roses, and looked forward to the end of winter and the coming of spring for all of her 90 years.
She was preceded in death by her children, Paul George Duncan, of Henderson, and Karen Sue Duncan, of Quinlan; Her parents, R.O. McGeHee and Florence Simmons McGeHee, both of Henderson; Her brothers James (Larry) McGeHee, of Nebraska; Jessie Ray McGeHee, of Henderson; and WIlliam Thomas McGeHee, also of Henderson.
Survivors include her grandchildren Richard Duncan, of Henderson; Suzi Bishop, of Mesquite; Marcus Bentley, of Oregon, and Chris Duncan, of Dallas; Her beloved sister, Betty Rankine , of Henderson; and her great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
It is difficult to sum up such a life in a few words. I could tell you that she was a Baptist all of her life, even Monday through Saturday; I could mention her various jobs and how much she loved the people with whom she came in contact. I could tell you about how she rescued me and raised me as her own son; how she worked all of her life, beginning in cotton fields when she was a child; that she loved flowers of all types; how she loved golf, watermelon, cornbread and fried fish – and most of those things are very much of her and bring a smile to my face. But it is important to note that she was not defined by what she did or what she loved; rather, it was how she did – and how she loved.
She was full of fire and conviction; she loved with her whole heart. Her niece, Kathy McGeHee, correctly observed that if she loved you, you knew it – and if she didn’t, you knew that, too. She was a spitfire before it was common or accepted; she was brave – brave enough to raise her kids without a lot of help; brave enough to raise kids that weren’t her own with the same love and devotion. She had the courage of a lioness to the last day of her life. If the whole world was against me, I always knew I could count on her. The highest compliment I can pay her is that neither her heart nor her faith ever wavered – She was one of a kind, and will be missed more than I can say.
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