Mary Mora James was born June 29, 1924, to Emilio and María Mora in Winfield, Kansas. She passed away at her home in North Platte, Nebraska on December 31, 2022, at the age of 98.
Mary grew up in Salem, Kansas, until her family moved to Colorado then to Nebraska. As a youngster, Mary worked as a farm worker in the sugar beet fields outside of Hershey, Nebraska.
In 1951, while Mary was working as a waitress at the Knotty Pine Café, she met Raymond James, the love of her life. They were married on September 6, 1951, in Lexington, Nebraska and they settled in North Platte. Mary and Raymond had six children and were happily married for 68 years when he passed away in 2019.
Mary was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Her immediate and extended family were parishioners of the church. Mary loved her Catholic faith, and she instilled in her children and grandchildren a deep reverence for the sacred and the holy in our everyday lives. She particularly enjoyed taking her grandchildren to Saturday evening mass and teaching them how to pray the rosary. Mary had a communal view about her faith, and she passionately believed in the communion of saints and that our souls are bound to each other, the living, and the dead, in joyful anticipation of being united together with a loving God.
Mary's presence will be sadly missed by her bereaved family. She leaves behind to mourn her passing, her two loving sisters, Margaret Mora and Thelma (LaVerne) Ehlers of North Platte. In addition, she leaves her six children: Shirl Mora James, Laurence James, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Randall (Kimberly) James of Hickman, Nebraska; LaVerne (Bonnie) James and Raymond D. (LaDonna) James of North Platte, Nebraska; and LeRoy (Jody) James of Deer Park, Washington. Finally, Mary also leaves 18 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and great great-grandchildren, her nieces and nephews, as well other cherished family members from Nebraska, Colorado, South Carolina, California, Texas and New Mexico.
Mary was preceded in death by her mother and father, Maria and Emilio Mora, her loving husband, Raymond; seven brothers, Simon, Joe, Frank, Dean, Martin, Laurence and Angel Mora; daughter-in-law, Avril James; her granddaughter, Megan Lynn James; and other extended family members.
Services will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Odean Colonial Chapel in North Platte, Nebraska with Father Jonathan Sorensen officiating. Rosary service will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by the memorial service at 10 a.m. Inurnment will be at a later date. The memorial book may be signed online at odeanchapel.com or at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore in North Platte, which is in charge of arrangements.