Mary Bee Newby, 92, Anderson, passed away Monday, April 18, 2011, at Saint John's Medical Center in Anderson following a sudden illness.

She was born on May 12, 1918, in Bedford, Ky., to Richard and Della (McKay) Johnson.

She graduated from Trimble County High School in Bedford, Ky.

Mary owned and operated Gravely Tractors with her husband. They had also operated farm stands from their home.

She was a member of the Ebenezer Apostolic Church in Anderson; she and her husband had been amatuer radio operators in the 1950s.

She is survived by five children, James R. (wife, Jan) Newby of VanBuren, Janie Fry of Lapel, John (wife, Hope) Newby of Yorktown, Steve Newby of Cicero, and Christie (husband, Jeff) Phillips of West Lafayette; twenty-one grandchildren; thirty-seven great-grandchildren; twenty-three great-great grandchildren; two brothers, Hiram (wife, Ella) Johnson of Cass, Ohio, George (wife, Reogene) Johnson of Tipp City, Ohio; two sisters, Helen Lewis of Louisville, Ky., and Gladys Weaver of Arcanum, Ohio; three sisters-in-law, Rachel Powell of Bedford, Ky., Martha Hawkins of Pittsboro, and Mary Alice Johnson of Tipp City, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 49 years, James Wesley Newby; one daughter, Marjorie Mora; two granddaughters, Angela Chim and Wendy Newby; four brothers, Younger, Chris, Paul, and Martin Johnson; and three sisters, Nellie Johnson, Frances Clem, and Lillian Lowry.

The family would like to thank Hester Peters and Violet Oaks for their long-time friendship with Mary as well as her many other long-time friends and neighbors who assisted their mother.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, at Scott E. Hersberger Funeral Home in Lapel with Rev. Earl Isom officiating. Burial will follow in Brookside Cemetery, Lapel.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, 2011, and one hour prior to the service Thursday at Scott E. Hersberger Funeral Home, 1010 North Main St.