Mary Lou Stevens Harris

A memorial service honoring the life of Mary Lou Stevens Harris will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport, Louisiana.  Officiating the service will Dr. Herb Armentrout from Broadmoor Baptist Church.

Mary Lou Stevens Harris was born July 18, 1928 in Bairoil, Wyoming to parents Arthur E. Stevens and Mary Christine Stevens and passed away peacefully in her sleep, as was her prayer, Friday, December 2, 2022 in Shreveport, Louisiana. 

She is preceded in death by her parents and sister, Wilma Grace Larsen.

Left to cherish her memory are four generations of descendants and numerous other extended family.  She is survived by her daughters, Mary Velinda McWherter and husband, Robert, Sharon Kay Moritz and husband, Michael and Teddi Lynn Young and husband, Kirk.  Her grandchildren include Richard Goff and wife, Linda, Matthew Huffty and wife, Kimberly, Mark Huffty and wife, Natalie, Laurie Fontenot and husband, Jerry and Kyler Bennett Young.  Mary Lou was Granny to great-grandchildren, Caleb Goff and wife, Colleen, Judah Goff and wife, Taylor, Carmen Crawford and husband, Marc, Avery Huffty, Andrew Huffty, EmmeGrace Huffty, Christian Huffty and Henry Huffty and great-great-granddaughter, Nova Blake Goff.  She was a beloved aunt to niece, Cheryl Russell and husband, Jim.

The family would like to give special thanks and recognition to Mrs. Shirley Carter for her loving and gentle care for many years.  Mrs. Shirley would always make Mary Lou laugh and smile when Shirley would call her “Doodlebug.”

Mary Lou began a lifetime of hard work while still in high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Her first job was as a message runner for the Union Pacific Railroad where she walked to work with her father who instilled in her a necessity to never be late.  He told her, “If a man is good enough to give you a job, the least you can do is be on time!”  After high school she worked at the railroad as a switchboard operator and retired as the PBX Switchboard Supervisor.  After moving to Clatskanie, Oregon, Mary Lou volunteered at Turning Point Community Center to help provide food to impoverished families since she too had a time in her life where she had struggled.  Joining her daughters in Shreveport, Louisiana, Mary Lou worked at the Gatti’s Pizza call center during her senior years.  She found an abundance of joy in coordinating the Franklin Graham Shoebox Ministry at her church as well as baking the Sunday service communion wafers. 

Although not raised as a Christian, Mary Lou accepted Christ after receiving letters of witness and testimony from her daughter, Velinda.  She lived to see all of her daughters, grandchildren, and three of her great-grandchildren baptized in Christ.

Mary Lou was a gentle, shy, and quiet lady; a laugh partner to many.  She was also quick witted and fun.  Before she lost her sight, she loved to play gin rummy, Chinese checkers, and mahjong.  She even used these games to delegate chores to her daughters – it didn’t happen often, but if they could beat Mary Lou in these friendly competitions, she would do the chore for them.  Mary Lou said that she was blessed with three wonderful sons-in-law who treated her as if she were their mother and she adored each of them.  She spent many hours embroidering quilts for her family.  She was notorious for her sweet tooth that craved chocolate.  The great-grandchildren enjoyed playing kitchen and serving Mary Lou pretend coffee to drink.  She looked forward to her grandson’s calls and always laughed at his jokes.  One of the highlights of Mary Lou’s week was her “Happy Hair” appointments with Clayton.

Once she became blind, Mary Lou wanted to neither be a problem for nor be a burden to anyone.  One may have thought that she would have become bitter, but she was always thankful for what she had and was always positive about the gift of tomorrow.  Her motto was:  “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  She never truly grumbled a day in her life.  Even when she had shingles from her shoulders to her knees and had to have the sores medicated, she would not complain.  When questioned, she said, “I just talk to Jesus more when it’s hard.”  Mary Lou would even say she was fine when en route to the emergency room while experiencing a critical breathing issue.  These characteristics made living with her a joy and a lesson in life.  

The family suggests memorials may be made to the Shreveport Memorial Library books on tape collection.  This media provided great entertainment for Mary Lou for the last 11 years of her life.