Mary Mavis Cole Bevens, known to her family and friends as "Sunny", died at the Adena Medical Center, Chillicothe,Ohio (Ross County) on Wednesday, September 18, 2013.

Sunny was born October 31, 1919, in Johnson County, Kentucky, the fourth of eight children of Jesse Turman Cole and LouVesta McCurry Cole.

She married Wray Bevens February 14, 1945.

Sunny graduated from Scioto Township High School in Pike County, OH; and, after attending Capital University, she graduated from the University of Kentucky.
She was a teacher for 33 years, most of which she taught third grade in the Waverly, Ohio schools.

After she retired in 1976, Sunny and Wray moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they enjoyed the ocean beach and social activities at their condominium.
After Wray's death, Sunny continued to reside in Florida, though she maintained close contact with her family and friends. As she grew older, she spent more and more time back home in Ohio.

Sunny was a member of several organizations including the Waverly Order of Eastern Star, Waverly Rebekah Lodge, Waverly Study Club, Waverly Classroom Teachers' Association, Pike County Retired Teachers' Association, Delta Kappa Gamma teaching sorority, American Association of University Women, Ohio Education Association, National Education Association, and the Ohio Retired Teachers' Association.
She was a member of the Waverly Grace United Methodist Church.

Because she enjoyed teaching, and her students, so much, she has given a $500 Mary Cole Bevens Scholarship to a graduate of each Pike County School every year since June, 2008.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, three brothers and three sisters.

Two sons, Wm Wray "Buz" Bevens and Gordon Bevens; one brother, John "Toby" Cole; five grandsons, Braydon, Bret, David Wray "Skymr" Joe, and Will; and several nieces and nephews survive.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 5 2013, at the Waverly Grace United Methodist Church Family Life Center.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by check to the Pike County Retired Teachers' Scholarship Fund, %Evelyn Hammond Treasurer, 100 Second St, Piketon OH 45661.
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Published in the Chillicothe Gazette on September 25, 2013
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