Mary H. Agness, 92, of Spencerville, passed away peacefully at 1:05 AM Thursday, November 12, 2020 in the Roselawn Manor, where she had resided since 2012 and was consistently happy with her long time friends.

She was born January 5, 1928 in Haviland, Ohio, a daughter of the late Willard D. and Elmyra Parks Wilson. Her step-father Raymond K. Tow is also deceased.  On October 3, 1945 she married Winfred E. "Bud" Agness, who died November 25, 2013. They were married 68 years.

Surviving are her two children, William E. "Bill" Agness of Lima and Yvonne M. Murdick of Delaware, Ohio, her siblings Rae Kay (Howard) Eager of Greenville, S.C. and Michael (Marie) Tow of Haviland.

Mary was preceded in death by her siblings, Willis Wilson, Wilma Wilson, Hope Wilson and Isabel Wilson.

She was a 1945 graduate of Haviland High School. In 1966 she founded the Mari-Stan Company in Mendon and moved the company to downtown Spencerville in 1971, manufacturing infant wear that was shipped to New York City and all over the country to major retailers.

Along with her business career, she was very civic minded, being President of the Chamber of Commerce, where she was instrumental in forming its Good Start  program. She was named Spencerville's Citizen of the Year in 1998. She had been a member of the Marion Baptist Church and later was a member of the Calvary Bible Church in Lima, where she was a member of its choir and prayer chain.  She was also a member of the Spencerville Historical Society and Optimist Club and served on the SummerFest committee.

At Roselawn she enjoyed singing, playing cards and bingo, arts and crafts.

Earlier in her life she had been active in her children's lives in the PTA, Girl Scouts and Mother's Clubs.

Funeral services will be 1:30 PM Thursday in the Thomas E. Bayliff Funeral Home in Spencerville with Pastor Keith Hamblen officiating. Burial will follow in the Spencerville Cemetery.

With Covid-19 regulations of face coverings and social distancing required in the funeral home, the family will receive friends from noon until service time on Thursday.

Memorials may be made to the Calvary Bible Church/ Lima Christian Academy in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be sent to tbayliff@woh.rr.com