Mary Colson

Mary Lu (Adamson) Colson passed away peacefully on February 12, 2014, in Kennewick, Washington.

Mary Lu was born in Rupert, Idaho on the 23rd of December, 1924. Her father, Otto Adamson, worked for the Bureau of Reclamation and the family lived in a house at the Minidoka Dam on the Snake River in Cassia County, Idaho. She was the oldest of 4 children and is survived by her sister Billie and her brother Bob. Mary Lu is also survived by her 2 children, Stan (Donna) Colson of Kennewick, Washington and Janis (Rick) Barker of Cataldo, Idaho. Mary Lu is also survived by her five grandchildren, Josh, James, Jon, Jessica and Jodi. She is also survived by eleven great-grandchildren, Madysen, Baylee, Easton, Kolton, Kelan, Addie Jo, Lily, Daisy, Brielle, Aiden and Jake.

Mary Lu attended college at the University of Idaho - Southern Branch (renamed to Idaho State College in 1947) in Pocatello, graduated, and obtained a job in the registrar’s office at the college. While working there, she met returned service man James “JB” B. Colson who enrolled there under the GI Bill. They were married in August of 1947 in Cassia County when they were both 23 years old. After graduating from college, the couple moved to northern Idaho near Kellogg. James got a job working in the Geology Department of the Sunshine Mining Company. They started their family with the birth of Stanley in 1951, and Janis in 1955, while living in the Sunshine Mine Housing Development located up the Big Creek Gulch, between Kellogg and Osburn, Idaho. The family later moved further up the gulch when James was promoted to be the head of the Geology Department at Sunshine Mine.

They moved into the town of Kellogg in 1968 and built a new home there. Mary Lu got a job at JC Penneys in Kellogg, where she worked for many years as a sales clerk. Her husband, James B. passed away in 1988.

Mary Lu maintained her home in Kellogg, where she cared for her aged mother for a number of years. Mary Lu was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and played piano and organ for meetings for 4 decades in the Kellogg Branch and Pinehurst Wards. She was also a member of PEO, AIME and the Grandmothers Club in Kellogg.
More recently, Mary Lu resided in Kennewick, Washington. After suffering a stroke in 2010, she no longer had full use of her right hand, which was a challenge for her and she was then bound to a wheel chair.

Mary Lu recently celebrated her 89th birthday on December 23rd, amongst family.
She loved chocolate and the perfect gift for her was always a box of Russel Stover mixed chocolates, a tradition started by her husband, James B, many years ago.
Mary Lu was a wonderful matriarch, and all of her family and friends miss her.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 11:00 A.M., at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel of Kellogg with Bishop Lonny Duce officiating. Interment will be held at the Greenwood Cemetery of Kellogg. There will be a viewing/visitation on Tuesday evening, February 18th from 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel; everyone is welcome.

SHOSHONE FUNERAL SERVICES & CREMATORY KELLOGG, IDAHO is entrusted with local arrangements.

---