Mary "Emma" James, nee Cassidy, of Steelville, MO passed away Thursday, December 22, 2011 at Gibbs Care Center at the age of eighty-nine.  She was born May 2, 1922 at Oak Hill, Missouri to John Henry Cassidy and Clara Victory Morrison Cassidy. On April 4, 1953 in Arkansas, she was united in marriage to Everett S. James who preceded her in death on March 24, 1972.

Emma was a member of the Steelville First Baptist Church. She enjoyed sewing for many years and working puzzles.

She is survived by one sister Alta Mae Williams and husband Junior of Arnold, MO; sisters-in-law Joyce Cassidy of St. Louis, MO and Margaret James of Bartlesville, OK; nephews and nieces, Richard Cassidy, Terry Halbert, Roger Tucker, Sherman Cassidy, Greg Cassidy, Allan Cassidy, Curtis Cassidy, Clifton Williams, Linda Fay Wilkinson, Crystal Cassidy and  Carla Wingbermuehle; other relatiaves and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Everett; seven brothers, Leonard Cassidy and wife Ruth, Glen Cassidy and wife Uldene, Lawrence Cassidy, Herman Cassidy and wife Edith, Fred Cassidy and wife Berniece, Oscar Cassidy and wife Fern and William Lee Cassidy;   two sisters, Nancy "Marie" Tucker and husband Harvey and Erma Halbert and husband Albert; and brother-in-law Richard James.

The Family received friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, December 26, 2011 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO.

Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO with John Britton officiating. Special music of "Where the Roses Never Fade" and "I Don't need to Understand" was sung and played by Bob and Carol Coleman.

Committal prayer and interment were in the Freeman Cemetery at Cherryville, MO.

Honored to be casket bearers were Bruce Donal, Clifton Williams, Greg Cassidy, Dan Halbert, Patrick Hodges and Mike Becker.

The Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, MO.