Mary Kail of 1208 11th St. died Sunday, June 3 at Grande Ronde Hospital at the age of 80.
Mrs. Kail was born Feb. 23, 1893 at Boring, Ky., the daughter of John and Lavicia Braughton. She came to Wallowa County at the age of nine and was a graduate of Eastern Oregon College.
She began teaching in Wallowa County at the age of 17. She taught in Wallowa and Union counties for more than 50 years. She taught all grades and was principal of Island City and Perry schools. In 1940 she ran for county school superintendent.
She began 4-H leadership in 1926 and in 1961 was presented with a citation for Outstanding Service to 4-H. At that time she had led 95 groups with a total project enrollment of 1,077.
She served as president of the Union County 4-H Leaders Association on three different occasions, chaperoned county delegates to 4-H summer schools at Corvallis six times and for 10 years served as 4-H home economics chairman at the Union County Fair. In 1954 she was selected to attend the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago.
Mrs. Kail was active in the Union County Historical Society, Three Links Club, Rebekah Lodge, American Association of University Women, Young Women’s Education Association and the American Association for Childhood Education.
She was a member of the First Christian Church of La Grande where she was a deaconess, and was general chairman of the Sunday school for 13 years. In addition she acted as a substitute teacher in the junior high department. She also taught crafts in the Vacation Bible School for several years.
On Dec. 13, 1917 she was married to Burdell Kail at La Grande. He preceded her in death in 1952.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs.Forrest (Retha) Bowman and Mrs. Cedric (Reba) Clark, both of La Grande; two brothers, John Braughton, La Grande, and George Braughton, Auburn, Wash.; sisters, Myra Richman, Butte Falls, Ore.; Allie Albertson, Salem, Dora Cooper, Roseburg, and Mattie Hoatson, Grandview, Wash.; five grandchildren, six great grandchildren and other relatives.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 6 at 2 p.m. at the First Christian Church, with the Rev. Jack Hart officiating. Vault interment will follow at the Island City Cemetery.
The Observer
La Grande, Oregon
Tuesday, June 5, 1973
Page 2
Contributed by: Tom Childers