Mary Esther Hapney, 64, of Before OH went to be with her family and her Lord on Friday April 3rd, 2026 after a brief, brave fight with cancer. She was born in Gallia, OH on June 13th, 1961, the daughter of the late Charles Franklin and Norma Dee Hawkins Vroman. Mary was a lover of animals of all kinds, but especially her little puppy “gizmo” who she called “gizzy”. She loved nature, and could often be found picking flowers, climbing trees, playing in the rose garden she loved to visit with her daughter, watching her morning glories open up to the morning sun, or watching the butterflies dance around the in the spring air for hours. Mary was artistic and creative, she loved to draw and paint, make flower arrangements and collect memories with pictures in scrap books through the years of life. She loved to travel and see this country, from the mountains all the way to the coast. Beach trips with her children were her favorite, and she had many of them over the years; she loved to wade out into the ocean, then lay on the beach for hours and let the summer sun kiss her skin. She loved music and traveling to shows with her daughter, as well as with her long time life partner of the past 20 years, David Harker, who she called her “almost husband”; they would often camp out during festivals, sleeping out under the summer sky. Mary liked to say that she “required coffee” in the morning. She loved sprite, ice cream, motorcycle rides on the back of her son’s Harley, going swimming all summer and getting a tan, Ohio state football, slow mornings, colorful sunsets and spending time with her precious granddaughter Raelyn, who she called “her pretty girl”. Mary hated winter and the darkness that comes with it, if it had anything to do with being cold; she wasn’t having any part of it. And of course, as a lifelong Buckeye, she could not stand the Michigan Wolverines. Mary was a very small person with a huge heart that she shared with everyone she loved. She was a proud mother and grandmother, a good friend, and a loving partner in life to Dave. She was sentimental, empathetic, stoic and self reliant. She always held her cards close, never wanting anyone to worry about her. She was loved by many, and
will be missed dearly by all who knew her. Though her time here on Earth was short, she made sure to make every moment a memory, and her legacy lives on through the
lives of the people she knew and loved. Mary is survived by her son, Mark Hapney, of Waterford OH, her granddaughter Raelyn, her life partner David Harker, her puppy Gizmo, her kitties, and many friends who she chose to call family.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved only daughter, and her only older brother.
Services will be held at 2pm on Thursday April 9th at Leavitt Funeral Home in Belpre. Visitation will be Wednesday April 8th 6-8pm for friends and family. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.LeavittFuneralHome.com
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