OBIT: Mary Francis Okones

February 14, 1944 – May 16, 2025

Mary Francis Okones, 81, of Mason City, Iowa, passed away May 16, 2025 surrounded by her family.

A celebration of life gathering will be held starting at noon Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Lester Milligan Park, 1180 15th Street Southwest Mason City, Iowa 50401.

Mary was born in Charles City, Iowa, daughter of Norbert and Georgia (Rex) Diesburg. She graduated from high school with the class of 1962 in Dugway, Utah. She was united in marriage to Russell Okones in 1980 at the Diesburg family home in Bremer, Iowa. In her working days she was a bartender, bookkeeper and later went on to help Russell on the road with their trucking business.

Mary’s greatest joy in life was being a grandmother. Her grandchildren were her everything, the reason she greeted each day with a smile. With a strong will and an independent spirit, Mary never hesitated to speak her mind. When she set her heart on something, there was no changing her mind.

Her love for coffee was unwavering, and she never left the house without her eyebrows perfectly done. In her spare time, she found peace in crochet, gardening and sunbathing whenever she could. Pigs had a special place in her heart; many of them decorated her home and garden.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Russell; daughters, Laurie (Tracy) Lee, Dana (Michael) Linderman; sons, Dan (Michelle) Lee, Bret (Sandy) Okones, and Kent Okones; seven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; brother, Garland (Rose) Diesburg; sister, Shirley (Joe) Souza; as well as many nieces, nephews, friends and extended family.

Preceding her in death are her parents; and daughters, Corey Okones and Georgia Medellin.

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