Mary Lou Lawson

Mary Lou Lawson was surrounded by the love of her family when she passed away peacefully Monday, January 17, 2022, at her Houston home. Born in the small town of Leon, Kansas on October 15, 1930, Mary Lou was one of two children born to Austin Leake Shores and Wilma Arlone Lynn Shores. She met the first love of her life, Wayne Hauck, and they were married on her 19th birthday in 1949. After their daughter Linda was born, they moved to Houston in 1951, where they lived and raised their family until Wayne’s death in 1977.

Mary Lou’s passion for Polka dancing would lead her to a second chance at love. Both recently widowed, Mary Lou and Harold were encouraged by different married friends to attend polka dances with them. Harold begrudgingly went after much persistence from his first wife Florence’s best friend, Odell Johnson. It is said that Harold walked all the way across the dance floor to ask Mary Lou to dance. It was from then on, they both fell in love with polka dancing, and more importantly, each other. They were married in 1981.

Mary Lou and Harold traveled the country spreading their joy of Polka, they have “hopped” in all four corners of the United States. They were one of six couples who founded the Texas Chapter of PoLK of A (Polka Lovers Klub of America) in 1988. They were named Polka King and Queen in 2001. When she wasn’t traveling and performing, Mary Lou enjoyed volunteering her time as the PoLKA Telephone Committee Chair, the Membership Secretary and attending and coordinating the USS Suwanee ship reunions for Harold and his crewmates. She was made to care for Harold; always having just the right paper in her purse (already trimmed to the perfect size, of course) cut with the pretty colors showing outward for his origami birds that he would make for lucky recipients. She was also known to always have at least two WWII memorial brochures in her purse for anyone that needed them (or didn’t know that they needed them!). Their marriage of 38 years was cut short when Harold passed away on January 12, 2020.

In addition to her parents, Wayne, and Harold, she is preceded in death by her brother, Leonard Shores; stepdaughter, Sandra Lawson Pyle; stepdaughter, Jo Ann Lawson Davis; and son in law, Joseph Turcotte. She is survived by many loving family members, including her daughter, Linda Turcotte; stepdaughter, Susan Lawson Russell and her husband, Jim; son in law George Pyle and his wife Joyce and son in law Alan Davis. Many grandchildren, Dennis Garza; Kristi Pyle DeRubeis and husband, Jim; Kathi Pyle Phan and husband, Long; Trevor Davis and wife, Jeni; Kevin Davis and wife, Jessica; Denise Insall Roberts and husband, Bryan; and great grandchildren, Lauren Garza Johnson and husband Ryan; Bodey Davis, Harley Jo Davis; Evan Phan, Aidan Phan, Keira Phan, Kaia Phan; Jaxson Roberts, and Caiden Roberts; and great-great granddaughters, Griffin and Ember Johnson.

Mary Lou has been described as an energizer bunny, always happy, always dancing and always excited. She truly was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, teacher, and friend to many. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

A funeral service for Mary Lou will be held Thursday, February 17, 2022, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX 77023. A graveside service will occur from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM and a reception will occur 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Pallbearers are Randy Cernosek, Ron Foley, Michael Logue, Larry Maresh, John Parker and Dennis Sumbera. The PoLK of A Texas Chapter will serve as Honor Guard.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkLawndaleFH.com for the Lawson family.