Mary "Mert" Mildred (Montgomery) Flaherty, 97, of Shattuck (formerly of Gage), passed on Thursday, December 4, 2014. She was born August 8, 1917. Growing up in Dodge City, KS, Mary, or "Mil" as her family called her, was one of 5 children born to Lantz and Nancy Montgomery. Father Lantz worked on the railroad and, up until his death in 1973, was the oldest living retiree of Sante Fe railroad. Mary married Howard Schweitzer and continued to live in Dodge City as a young wife and mother of two children, Raymond Douglas, and Judith Ann. Mary sang in the First Missonary Church with her best friend Ruby Page. They even performed weekly on the radio, singing all the popular tunes of the late 30's and 40's.

Later, Mary met and married Claude Lee Myers, or "Doc" as he was affectionately known. Together they built a practice. They both attended the Newman hospital Nursing program, graduating in 1951 with LPN degrees. Doc was already a chiropractor, so together they established their office in Laverne, Oklahoma. Together they had two daughters, Carolyn Jane and Claudette Ellen. Later they moved to Gage, OK where they retired in 1981. They moved back to Dodge City after retirement and lived there until Doc died in 1982. Doc had a son by a previous marriage, Donald Lee.

In 1988, Mert became reacquainted with an old friend from Gage, Bill Flaherty, and they married in July of 1988. They made their home in Gage, where Mary continued to sing and perform anytime she was called on. She wrote many plays for the Baptist Church, both in Gage and Shattuck, and always filled any role that was needed such as a Salvation Army Lady, collecting money from the crowd during a Christmas play in the First Baptist Church of Shattuck. She loved to cook, making muffins for everyone who came along, potato soup for her grandchildren, and of course her famous noodles. She was world known for her card playing, especially canasta, where she always won. And if she wasn't winning, she made everyone else giggle so much, they couldn't play. She especially loved her Lord, known to all as a "prayer warrior"… many people attested to the fact that mom would go in where "angels fear to tread" to witness. She could be heard saying, "I've been inoculated"… Nothing can hurt me.

Family who died before her included her husband Bill, daughter Carolyn who died in 1993 suddenly from leukemia, and Donald Lee Myers who died in 1992. All of her siblings went to heaven ahead of Mom too, Raymond, Harold, Russell and Helen.

She leaves behind her family: Judy and Scott Grey with their children, Steve Grey, Joni and Jay Loftin, and Carol and Joe Freeman. Raymond and Jean Schweitzer, children of Carolyn Poindexter: Kelly and Darren Dowell, Krista and Tim Starbuck, and James Poindexter. Wesley and Claudette Ehrlich and their children, Nathan Ehrlich and Chris and Annie Sconyers along with great grandchildren: Rachael and Cara Loftin, Samantha, Brooke, and Casey Freeman, Thomas and Brandi Shoemaker, Constance Shoemaker, Courtney and Dawson Dowell,Grayson and Crystal Starbuck, Kala and Marcus Mead, Piper Poindexter and Bella, Arin and Patrick Ehrlich, Justin Cozbey, Alexis and Reece Sconyers; great great grandchildren: Bobby and Aiden Shoemaker.

Services will be held at Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City, KS at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, December 9, 2014. Visitation hours are Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.; and Monday 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. all at Shaw Funeral Home of Shattuck (1501 S. Main).