Mary Louise Travers

Nicknamed Lou Lou by her 7 children, 12 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren, she leaves a powerful legacy of love and laughter, deep faith and friendships, endless entertaining and extraordinary energy.

Born in Dubois, PA, youngest of 4 children, Mary Lou Coleman grew up in North Buffalo.She attended Holy Spirit grammar school and Holy Angels Academy where she served as class president all four years, and valedictorian of her senior class. She graduated with honors from Buffalo State Teachers College and taught in the Kenmore School system and substituted in Orchard Park public and parochial schools.

In 1957 she married John C. Travers Jr, an insurance executive, who died in December 2020. She and her beloved “Johnny Boy” raised their children in North Buffalo moving to Orchard Park in 1972 where the couple engaged in countless community initiatives including Parish Outreach, Parent Teachers Association, and religious education for many years. She served as a substitute teacher, orchestrated hundreds of funeral breakfasts, was active in a decades long scripture prayer group, and in her later years, volunteered at the Foodbank of WNY.

Lou Lou’s legacy of hospitality and entertaining was epic. She was a gourmet cook, member of an Orchard Park Gourmet Dinner Club for more than 5 decades, and a

super star when it came to throwing a party. Entertaining large crowds, where everyone was invited, was her specialty.

Lou Lou’s Handford Bay summer home on Lake Erie was her favorite place to entertain, recreate and celebrate the breathtaking nightly sunsets. She was an avid cyclist and navigated the roads of Hanford Bay on her beloved bike past her 88th birthday and followed-up with a long stroll on the beach. She was also a tennis player, competed in Invitational tournaments, and made an annual trek, with her tennis buddies, to Toronto’s Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament. But it was her grandchildren and great grandchildren who brought her the greatest joy. Lou Lou was forever carving out time to take them on adventures and share her deep faith in God.

She died surrounded by her family and loving care givers and is survived by four daughters, Mary Murphy (John), Kathleen McCrone (Jeff), Susan Worth (Michael), Jennifer Marrano (Chris); three sons, John, Tom, and David (Donna).

A private celebration of life will be scheduled this summer.