Mary O. Lowder

Mary was born May 23, 1916 to John and Mary Kate (Neal) Oakes in Santa Anna, TX. Growing up in a small town during the Depression years with six brothers and sisters was a happy time for her. She learned early in life the importance of family, love, hard work and faith in God which also became her life’s goal. Mary was a wife, mother, sister, business woman, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She owned and operated her own beauty shop for 17 years. She and her husband, Daryl, raised four children. Over the years, she was a Cub Scout Den Mother, Sunday School teacher, Room Mother, secretary of the Pink Ladies Association, Meals-on-Wheels volunteer, and Elder in her Presbyterian Church. Her happiest times was having family gatherings, cooking big meals for them, a home-made chocolate cake ready, the coffee pot going and a candy dish always filled for the children young and old! She enjoyed people and always had a smile and a cheerful greeting for everyone.

Mary was preceded in death by husband of 57 years, Daryl, in 1997; son, Jack, in 1979; and granddaughter, Kimberly Lowder Murphy in 2008.

Mary is survived by daughter Mary Jo Bell and husband Bill; sons, Daryl Lowder, Jr. and wife Joanna, and Mike Lowder and wife Debbie; 8 grandchildren, Marni, Jeff, Michael, Mark, Melissa, Jeremy, Amanda, and Lacy; 15 great-grandchildren; sister, Marj Dolan; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Lowder Mattson.

Visitation will be held between 5:00pm and 7:00pm Thursday, March 14, 2013 at Sunset Funeral Home.

Graveside Service will be held at 3:00pm Friday, March 15, 2013 at Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls, TX.

Many thanks to the caregiving staff at the Emeritus at Lincoln Heights AL and HC and Evercare Hospice for your care, kindness, friendship and smiles.