Mary Diver

Mary Elizabeth Becker-Diver was born on November 7, 1911 to James (Fred) Becker and Rose Heitzmann-Becker in Toledo, Ohio. Mary was the oldest of three children. Her sister Dorothy (Dottie) Boatz preceded her in death and her brother Jim survives and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. The family moved to Peru, Indiana in 1914 when Mary was three. Mary attended Business School in Peru, Indiana and graduated in 1929. She worked at the State House and was able to meet Governor Sherman Minton and others of the 1930’s and 1940’s. These were memorable years for Mary as she made friends that lasted a lifetime and created memories that sustained her and brought a smile to her face until the very last days of her earthly life. She took trips with friends and traveled to Florida by automobile and by train to Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angelos, through Texas and back home. She was active in the Democratic Party and we have records that she served as a member of the Young Democrats of Indiana and was a member of the Democrat Women’s State House Club. During this time she lived in the Dartmouth Apartments on Michigan Street in Indianapolis where she met her future husband George Lewis Diver. She married George Lewis Diver on May 17, 1941. At that time she lived at 1142 N. Pennsylvania Street. She continued to work for the State of Indiana until Cecelia Deanne was born on June 20, 1942. About this time they purchased their first home on Bosart in Indianapolis. Mary Louise was born on January 11, 1944. In 1954, they moved to 927 N. Franklin Rd. and on May 19, 1954, Kathleen Elaine was born. In December of 1962, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio where Mary was a member of the Bells for Mental Health, the neighborhood organization and St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. She moved back to Indianapolis in 1970 to 5540 E. 79th Street. Here Mary became active with St. Pius Catholic Church, The Little Sisters of the Poor, and St. Augustine’s She and Louie made several trips in the US and traveled to Hawaii, Europe, Spain, Morrocco, and other travels. Mary became widowed on September 10, 1974. After Louie’s death she became quite the travelor. She made several trips to Austria, Switzerland, and Germany as well as Hawaii, New Zealand, and France. She would buy air passes and motel passes and she made good use of them and definitely got her money’s worth. She loved history and reading of places to go see or places she had already seen. In 1979, Mary moved from 79th Street to Castleton Columns Apartments and in 1998 she moved to Morningside Retirement Apartments and then in 1999 to the Forum Retirement Apartments. Mary was proud of her homemaking skills and her cooking. She loved new recipes and trying them out on people. She enjoyed entertaining and always wanted things to be perfect. She was quite the lady and worked hard to make things be elite and elegant. She respected wealth and fame. Mary was Grandma to Amy Renee Knapp, James Andrew Knapp, Kelli Bengston, Elaine Christine Barker and Jeremy Scott Barker. She was Great-Grandma to Allie Sklenar, Amanda Sklenar, Onyx Rachael Bengston, Gabrielle Knapp, Andrew Knapp and Lucy Elizabeth Barker. She was also Step-Great-Grandma to Keri Sklenar. Mary was baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church and her faith and belief sustained her during the good and bad times of life. She lived almost 99 years, witnessing the inauguration of many presidents, including our countries first African American. She was very proud when John F. Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic president. She witnessed so many changes of the Twentieth Century, including she was able to vote in the first election that allowed women to vote. She experienced the Roaring 20’s, the depression, the race to space, landing on the moon, and the turn of the century. Mary attended the opening of the movie “Gone With the Wind”, she attended many skating events with Sonja Henie, and most of the musicals at Starlight Musicals in Indianapolis. Along with Louie, she attended many football games at the University of Illinois and with and without Louie she attended several games at Notre Dame.o Mary lived a full life with a great sense of humor, and always kept a positive attitude even when her eyesight and hearing started to limit her love of traveling. She did not question her position in life and always felt fortunate to have lived the good life, have a family who loved her, and that she was able to have made the travels she made and keep the memories. Mary’s hobby was scrap booking. Her life is chronicled through her documentation in her scrapbooks. There is a rich history of close to 80 years of her life. On October 11, 2010, at the age of 98 years 11 months and 4 days she joined her husband and many family members and friends in a New Life in Heaven.