Mary Daniel Steele Booton Williams Foulkes, 94, of Lexington, Virginia, died May 9, 2009.

She was born July 24, 1914 in Watertown, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Dr. Rollin A. and Mary Frazer Daniel.

She attended Ward Belmont School in Nashville.

During World War II she worked with the American Red Cross in Chester, Virginia.

She worked in many capacities as a member of the Chester Presbyterian Church. She was a founder of the Chester Senior Center. She was the director of Richmond City Jail Helpmates, a program in the women's section begun by Nancy White Thomas. She worked with Victim Witness in Richmond and Lexington, Virginia.

She was a member of the Lexington Presbyterian Church and provided homemade soups and meals for its soup kitchen.

She was a supporter of the Rockbridge County Hospice.

She was a life member of the VMI Institute Society, and was known to VMI classes through the 1980s and 1990s as "Mother Rat", having sent her five sons to VMI and adopting VMI cadets from far away homes.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Marion A. Steele, Sr., John R. Booton, Frank M. Williams, and William W. Foulkes; also by her children: Frazer Steele Waters, Marion A. Steele; her stepson, John M. Booton, and her grandson, Capt. M. A. Jackson Steele.

She is survived by sons: John D. Steele of Hatfield, Robert S. Steele II of Norfolk, and R. Daniel Booton of Gum Spring; her stepchilden: Emily B. Weitz of Des Moines, Iowa, and Ann B. Currie of Carthage, NC; 23 grandchildren; 30 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at the Jackson Memorial Hall, Virginia Millitary Institutie, Lexington, Virginia at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

Interment will follow at the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, Lexington, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the VMI Discretionary Fund, c/o VMI Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.