Mary Knoxsah, of White Cloud, Kansas, passed away at 6:45 p.m. on May 8 at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, David “Skup” Knoxsah from Horton, who passed away in 2005. They married in the early 1980s. She has five children: Aaron Shaad, Independence, Missouri, Quanna Shaad and Shona Knoxsah, Overland Park, Alex Knoxsah, Horton, Kansas and Armando Knoxsah, White Cloud and six grandchildren.

She preceded in death by her mother, Wynema Conklin, her father, Ted Conklin and her brother Teddy Conklin Jr.

Her living siblings include John Conklin, Horton, Jean Conklin, Wellsburg, N.Y., Nancy Schlichting, Hiawatha and Cindy Kelly, Lawrence. Mary was very close to all of her family including her nieces and nephews;: John Conklin Jr., Jason Wandell, Jeremy Wandell, Chala Wandell, Josh Wandell, Quintin Wandell, Nova Deckman, Rebekka Schlichting, Mara Schlichting, Julie Kaniatobe and Samuel Kelly.

Mary graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in the early 1980s. She was very active with the surrounding Native American communities. She worked for the Kansas City Indian Center, Kickapoo Housing, Sac & Fox Housing and more. She was the chairwoman of the Iowa Tribe Powwow Committee, a volunteer foster parent to many Native American children and a volunteer at many community events.  She is an enrolled member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, as well as a descendant of the Wichita, Caddo and Delaware Tribes.

The family and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska will host a memorial dinner for Mary at 1 p.m. this Saturday at the George Ogden Building, 3345 Thrasher Road, White Cloud, Kan.