Mary "Babe" E. Warren

Babe (Mary) Warren was born April 14, 1926, at the family farm near Numa to Lawrence and Edith Kaiser. She joined Eileen and Bud as their youngest sister. She departed this life Thursday evening, March 3, 2022, at Crowley County Nursing Center.

When she was born, her grandfather told her parents, “you’ve got a baby doll”. To him, she was always Baby Doll, and that was later shortened to “Babe”, which then caught on with the rest of the family and then friends. Throughout her life, everyone knew her as Babe. When she would recount the story, she admitted with a wry smile and a laugh that she thought for many years she was named after the family’s horse.

Babe attended school in Numa, then Crowley, graduating High School in 1943. She joined the workforce after school, working as an operator for the Mt States telephone company. In 1946, she was attending an event with her brother and sister-in-law and invited Ollie Warren, a neighbor from her youth. He accepted, and 6 months later they eloped in Las Vegas, New Mexico, June 15, 1946.

On a farm north of Crowley, they started their new life together and, on Christmas Eve in 1947, Patricia was born. Four years later, in 1952, they had Janet and their family was complete. They remained on the farm for 10 years and then moved into Ordway, taking over operation of the local laundry from Ollie’s mother, Ruby Warren. They lived above the laundry and put in countless hours running the business until 1963. Babe then moved to a position in the ASCS (Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service) office, where she retired after almost 25 years of service.

Ollie died March 4, 1993. Babe spent the next several years traveling the world, with her great friend Joanne Stanlick, visiting almost every continent. She kept busy bowling, playing bridge, doing crossword puzzles and seeing friends, enjoying an active and fulfilling life. Babe was well known and loved for her positive, upbeat spirit. She remained in her home, living independently for the rest of her life, only spending time in the nursing home for short periods for recovery and for the final few weeks of her life.

Babe became a grandmother with the birth of Mark, the son of Jim and Pat Nelson, on Christmas Eve 1972. Craig and Eric followed, in 1976 and 1980 respectively. Craig’s oldest daughter, Taylor, was born in 1997, making Babe a great grandmother for the first time. Joining the growing family, were Ashlynn (Craig), Morgan (Mark), Wyatt (Craig), and Madison (Mark) in the following years.

She is survived by daughters, Pat and Janet, her favorite son-in-law, Jim, grandchildren, Mark & Shawna, Craig, and Eric, five great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, cousins, and her longtime friend, Joanne Stanlick.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Ordway with Father Soosai officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Valley View Cemetery in Ordway.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family requests donations be made in Babe Warren’s honor to the Crowley Heritage Center or to charity of their choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.