Mary Jane was born to Kelly Walton and Hedvig Catherine Asplund, July 10, 1934, in Houston, Texas. She graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1952, and later received an Accounting Degree from the
University of Houston’s College of Business. She married Lodie Stapleton, Jr. in 1953, and they lived together in Houston, Texas. Together they raised 2 children.
As a young child, Mary Jane was enrolled at the Hallie Pritchard School of Dance in Houston, Texas. She excelled in dancing from the very start. In her sophomore, junior, and senior years in high school, she
was much in demand on most of the amateur shows on stage and on Houston local television. Mary Jane entered the Miss Houston contest in 1952 at the Shamrock Hotel on South Main in Houston. She won the
contest and was pronounced Miss Houston 1952 and was then entered in the Miss Texas contest in Galveston, Texas. After some argument between the judges, she was selected as first runner up. In various smaller contests around the Houston area, Mary Jane was Senior Beauty at San Jacinto High School and was then entered in the Daytona Beach 500 National Car Race and in the beauty contest she was awarded first runner up. Mr. Glen McArther asked if she would like to enter the Miss America National Nylon Hose Contest in New York City, NY, and she won the contest.
Mary Jane was a member of the National Honor Society, Captain of the cheerleading squad, and a member of the Gaucho Drill Team. After an invitation to perform at the Rice Hotel Crystal Ballroom, she met her lifelong companion, Lodie Stapleton, Jr. As their friendship progressed, they fell more and more in love and were married in the First Christian
Church on South Main Street by Reverend Knowles. While Lodie fulfilled a military obligation with the United States Airforce at Lackland Airforce Base, Mary Jane opened a dance school in Brenham, TX. She
also taught dance at Arthur Murray Dance Studio.
After Mary Jane graduated from the University of Houston’s college of business, she worked as a bookkeeper for 20 years. She was also a life-member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, being involved for several years in the “Horspitality” Committee and the International Committee. Mary Jane was deeply religious, trusted in the Lord, and believed Jesus Christ was her one and only Savior.
Mary Jane is survived by: Lodie Stapleton, Jr. (husband), Kristin Williams Wernecke (granddaughter), Brian Michael Williams (grandson), and Corey Stapleton (grandson). She also leaves to cherish her memory Brielle Wernecke (great granddaughter), Jackson Wernecke (great grandson), Wyatt Williams (great grandson), Brody Williams (great grandson), Audrey Williams (great granddaughter), Darla Hickman (niece), Denise Ciardello (niece).
She was preceded in death by: Sheryl Stapleton Williams, (daughter), Kelly Lodie Stapleton, (son).
A visitation is scheduled at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery on April 26, 2024, at 1:00pm. A service will follow in the Grand Chapel at 2pm.
The family would like to thank everyone for the time they took to celebrate and remember our wonderful Matriarch.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.6