Birth date: May 6, 1944 Death date: May 28, 2011
Decatur – Mary Kaye Gorden Gould, 67, of Decatur passed away at 8:10 am Saturday, May 28, 2011 in her home. Mary Kaye was born on May 6, 1944 in Taylorville, IL the daughter of Haldon and Lugenia (Bugg) Gorden. She attended grad Read Obituary
I will truly miss Mary Kaye's physical presence in our hospital (and at Von Maur!). I believe she will watch over our work here at St. Marys and know we will never forget her lovely spirit and all she has done for us here. Sincere condolenceses to her loving family, God Bless, Teresa (social services)
I was so sorry to hear of Mary Kaye's death. I'm sure she fought a good fight to overcome cancer. Now, she is celebrating her new life with God. I'm sure she is enjoying heaven with family and friends who have gone before her.Dear Family of Mary Kaye Gould,I and many people will miss her at St. Mary's Hospital. She was dedicated to doing all that she could to help others through her service and work as an Auxilian volunteer. She always had a big smile and recognized everyone by name if she knew them and a Hi to all she did not know. I enjoyed her good humor and concern for others. I never heard her complain about her challenges. She was a very good example to everyone to serve and keep going. May she now experience the fullness of God's love and presence.I extend my sincere sympathy to her family. I am grateful for her services at St. Mary's hospital and having known her. God bless you all. Sister JoAn Schullian, OSF
Mary Kaye will truly be missed in the hallways of St. Mary's Hospital. Always on the go and ready to help anyone. Her stories of her daily travels always put a smile on my face. Prayers are with Mary Kaye's family.
I did not know Mary Kaye, but my mother, Dorothy Duncan, went to school & was good friends with her mother, Lugenia and she wanted Lugenia to know she was thinking about her at this time. Mother said she remembered Mary Kaye from years ago. She is at Imboden Creek Living Center here in Decatur and would love to see Lugenia if she was able.Our thoughts & prayers are with your family.Sincerely,Barbara (Duncan) Endrizzi & Dorothy Duncan
Sorry for the family's loss. She will greatly be missed.
I will really miss seeing Mary Kaye at Hickory Point Mall – with her friendly, smiling face and words of encouragement! My sympathy goes to her family and loved ones.
I met Mary Kaye in 1967, as one of my patients on 7th floor at St Mary's Hospital. When Mary Kaye was in the hospital—her room was always abuzz with friends and family and lots of laughter and happiness, in spite of the fact that her life had been forever changed just four years earlier, when she learned she would never walk again. In those first four years, she came very close to death many times, but I feel God spared her life so she could be an inspiration to others. The ledges of her windows in St Mary's were always full of flowers, cards, stuffed animals, Fannie Mae candy–and food. Her room was the hub of activity. Her mother, Lugenia, has always been right there for her from day one. She made it her life's mission to help Mary Kaye whenever and however she could. Her aunts, uncles and cousins, and all family, and even her classmates, were huge supporters of her throughout her whole life.She had a special gift of acceptance of her situation, and she was often asked to go talk to other patients who had just learned they would never walk again, either. Her doctors knew her testimonial of how to accept paralysis might make a difference in their lives. She was a true example of the cliche—"when life gives you lemons, make lemonade."We became fast friends from the very beginning, and have had so many wonderful times together. Lots of sad times, too, but she was a person who could not go on if she carried all her burdens around each day. She learned how to shake them off, and go on.She wanted to live life to the fullest, and did. Her life consisted of always knowing there could be hospital stays at any moment, so she didn't want to waste one minute of freedom.When she got her first van and learned to drive it in the early '80's, she was like a bird let out of a cage. She now had legs again, and she was out and about as often as she could be. She met Terry Barger during those days, and he has been her constant companion ever since. I wouldn't call their relationship a romantic one–but they loved each other, and each one filled a role for the other to achieve their independence that no one else could've filled. Terry has been very loyal to her, and he will be very lonely without her. I hope that those who know him will remember to help him through this huge change in his life.Several friends and I were talking about Mary Kaye a few months ago, and one of them referred to her relationship with her "best friend, Mary Kaye," and we all laughingly said "we thought WE were her best friend." Mary Kaye WAS a best friend to so very many people. She was non-judgemental and very trustworthy with personal confidences—always interested to know how things turned out if you were having problems. She loved so many people and their families. Her refrigerator was always covered with pictures friends had sent or given to her of their family.Mary Kaye's life was full of much pain and suffering, so many indignities that most of us would've crumbled under if they had happened to us. But she never blamed God for her injury—she knew He was with her through her trials, and I know He lovingly took her to be with him Saturday morning, free and perfect, again. I didn't mean to write such a long message, and could go on and on about Mary Kaye for hours. I will miss her dearly, as I know all her other "best friends" will, too. Just so glad I (and all my family) got to know and love her.
I met Marykaye in the hospital, we were roommates,twenty-seven years ago in 1984. She was the best roommate EVER!!!! We just clicked,admist the fun and laughter,I did'nt want to go home! We both had a fondness for shopping,and if you know Marykaye, no wonder I was an instant friend! WE had many fun shopping trips,lunches, and I was also lucky enough to work for her thru Doors for a few years. She was the most wonderful person I have ever met! She was very kind to everyone she met, would do anything she could for anyone she met, friend or stranger, and was such a joy to be around! When I moved over an hour and a half away, it just broke our hearts.We still kept in touch, but because of our busy schedules[hers especially] I wish we would have spent more time together! Her mother is a sweetheart, and my heart and prayers go out to her! If I get to heaven, which I know MaryKaye now is , I hope she will be the one to greet me! I'm sure her first words will be "Hey, lets go shopping"! I am so glad to have known her, as knowone could ever have a better BEST FRIEND !!!!!! Love you always, MaryKaye, Donna
God's blessings to all of May Kaye's family and friends. She has been a part of our family for more than three decades and she was always an inspiration of how to live life inspite of what the trial was. We know that in death is perfect healing and that she is walking, dancing, running with those who have already gone on. There will be a definate hole where she loved and lived, as she had the ripple effect on those around her. We have all been blessed to have known her.
