Mary Louise Embrey

Mary Louise (Hicks) Embrey passed away in the early morning hours of June 10, 2024 in Fayetteville, North Carolina at the age of 92. She had been under the care of Cape Fear Valley Hospice since October of 2023 and was recently placed in a nursing home but remained under Hospice care.

The third of five children, Mary was born July 5, 1931 in Adams, New York to James and Lillian Hicks just 16 months before her favorite and only sister, the late Laura (Hicks) Prievo. Their family moved to Carthage, New York in the early 1940’s, where Mary would attend the local schools. She was a smart student in school, but preferred life lessons over book knowledge. She was not every teacher’s favorite student but she would be sure they did not forget who she was. Her ability to forge through every challenge and make her own way began at a very early age.

Mary worked in the movie theater at the candy counter as a passage to watch movies she could only hope to afford otherwise. She held a job ironing clothes making 2 to 5 cents apiece. Life would require her to care for her ill mother and provide financially for her family members at times, causing her to become an intense, resourceful, strong, resilient, provider and woman of faith. Mary would go on to marry and welcome the joys of her life – Janice, Susan, and Mark. Although that marriage would end, she would then meet and marry the love of her life, the late John Owen Embrey in 1966. With her three children and his son John Embrey Jr, their family was complete. They moved to New Jersey where Mary would work at a factory making wiring for small electronics and also for a company making ladies garments often doing the tedious work others would not do. She made her way to working at the bowling alley which would continue one of her most favorite hobbies, bowling. In her younger years in upstate New York, she actually taught proper bowling technique to young people. Along with bowling, she enjoyed bird watching and communing with the many animals at “The Lake”. She also enjoyed sewing, needle punch, and many other crafts. These hobbies would become very much a part of her life while in Hope Mills, NC.

As empty-nesters, John and Mary would move back to New York to care for her own dear Aunt Mary at Rays Bay (aka “The Lake”) and later, her caring was then for John until he died. Mary Louise never became a nurse like she had once dreamed, but she became a caregiver of a special caliber. After losing John and then her son, Mark, Mary moved into an apartment in Adams still finding time to babysit and care for others whenever she was able. In 2004, she moved to New Jersey to live with her daughter, Susan and her husband Jim. They moved to North Carolina in 2008 where she found a church family at Cotton Methodist Church in Hope Mills. She was also a faithful member of the Holy Stitchers group at Good Shepherd Catholic Church where her love of crafting and sewing flourished. Mary was funny, full of kindness, easy to talk to, humble, and loved a good laugh. We could listen to her stories forever.

Mary is survived by her daughters Janice (Mark Bayne); Susan (Jim Coyle), her “son” Johnnie (Lynn Embrey); her baby brother, John (Mary Beth Hicks); 7 grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren. To many she was known as Aunt Lou, Emaw, Emom (or scribble-scrabble), Grandma Lou, EmaLoopy, Mama Lou, grandmom, and mom, and most of all, friend.

She is preceded in death by her husband John Embrey, Sr, her parents, two brothers Robert and Norman Hicks, and sister, Laura (Richard Prievo) as well as her son Mark James LaLone.

The family would like to thank the Hospice staff that managed her care so lovingly and patiently for the past 8 months. The team of traveling nurses, the social worker, the director, her aide, the volunteers, the end-of-life doula and the chaplain all played an integral part of her end-of-life story.

In keeping with Mary’s wishes, there will be a small celebration of life and memorial at Cotton Methodist Church, Hope Mills, NC on July 6, 2024 at 11:00 am. Other services to be held at the family’s convenience. Her final resting place will be in the Urn made by her grandson Angel, being interred in the garden at “The Lake” - Rays Bay, New York next summer.

With her sister Laura, they shared a deep love for their church as well as flowers and nature. However, in lieu of flowers for her funeral we ask that you remember her by planting your own flower garden, by donating to a nature museum, by donating to your local Hospice or your local church or a charity of your choice.