Mary Anne was born on June 12, 1944, in St. Louis, Missouri to Roland and Florence Bockhorst. She grew up at 900 Bernice Avenue in Kirkwood; graduating from Kirkwood High School in 1962.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Washington University in St. Louis.   During her career in nursing, she went wherever there was a need – labor & delivery, surgery, the ICU, even the dreaded night charge nurse.  She was even a traveling nurse before that was ever a thing.  She ended her career at the Veterans Administration in St. Louis where she was given many accolades for her dedicated service.

She married her high school romance and gave birth to two beautiful children.  Not only was she a mother, but she was a cub scout den leader, and she had a pilot’s license!  When she moved to Florida in the 1980’s, she found a love of the beach and all things sea critter related, spending her free time off the Sanibel Island coast seining for seahorses and pipe fish.  When she moved to Washington State in 1999, she found a hobby in gardening and Pekin ducks.  Grape hyacinth flowers were her favorite.

Having parents as missionaries, she spent her summers in Montreat, North Carolina and always had a love for the mountains.  After the passing of her mother, Mary Anne moved to North Carolina to live out her retirement.  She was most happy traipsing through the woods, working on her ponds with her miniature schnauzer Napoleon and her partner of 6 years by her side.

She is survived by her partner Daryl Parks, her children Charles Kunkel IV (Chari) and Amanda Kunkel Beech; her grandchildren Charles V (Sierra), Cayla (Jake Tomlinson), Chelby (Gunner Serota), Mary (Konnor Evarts), Allison and Corbin; her siblings Roland, Rhea, and Fairman ‘Short’ Bockhorst; many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents.

She left us too soon but with many memories and stories to cherish. We will miss her dearly, but we will always celebrate her spirit and her legacy. She was one of a kind, and we are lucky to have known her.  Thank you for being our mom.  Rest in peace, Bocky!  We love you.

We will be gathering on Friday June 16 from 4:00 – 6:00pm at the home of Charles and Chari Kunkel in Greenwood for a celebration of her life.  We would love to have you join us.

Arrangements:  Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley, MO   816-847-4441