Obituary of Mary E. Bender

Mary E. Bender Olean – Mary E. Bender of North 21st Street died Thursday May 12, 2005 at the Buffalo General Hospital. Born in Olean on July 4, 1917 she was the daughter of Charles and Catherine Lindsay Gustafson. She married Albert Bender who predeceased her in 1994. Mrs. Bender was employed for many years a nurses aide at the St. Francis Hospital. She later volunteered at the Olean General Hospital. Mary was a member of the First Baptist Church of Olean where she was a former member of the choir and volunteered as secretary. She enjoyed playing cards and gardening and was especially fond of her cat, Maggie. She is survived by a son David (Eileen) Bender of Thousand Oaks, CA; two daughters Connie (James) Alsbaugh of Palm Desert, CA and Kathleen (K.C.) King of New Orleans, LA; four grandchildren; three great grandchildren and a sister Carol Haley of Clarence, NY. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by a son Stephen C. Bender in 1978 and two brothers, Thomas Gustafson and Robert Gustafson. Friends will be received on Saturday May 14, 2005 from 2-4 and 7-9 at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 West State Rd., Olean. Funeral and committal services will be conducted on Sunday May 15, 2005 at the funeral home at 2:00 PM. Rev. Alexandra Freer, Associate Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Olean and Rev. David Johnson will co-officiate. Burial will be in Allegany Cemetery, Allegany, NY. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Olean, 133 South Union Street, Olean, NY 14760 or to a charity of the donor's choice.