paula

Sunday, June 28, 2015

I want to express my sympathy to you, and your father on the loss of your dear sweet mother who you loved so dearly
She in a better place now, and no longer sick. God go with
you both

Debbie Duff Skidmore

Saturday, July 21, 2012

I was asking about Mary Lou at our championship swim meet. I had seen some of her relativates swim. I wish I could have talked to her and tell her that she was a great role model. She will be remembered as a wonderful coach always walking tall. I miss the good old days. I have been coaching the Cabot piranhas for fifteen years. I swam for coach Torbett for 12 years.

Wendy Rynning

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Mary Lou was a great coach and friend and will be missed very much. She was a great role model for many young lives and I am glad DJ shared her with us...my prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Jan Smith

Sunday, February 5, 2012

I knew Mary Lou through my career with the YMCA. She was a role model to all in the field of non-profit work as she gave herself tirelessly to her cause! Mary Lou was always available to take my phone calls, listen to my questions, and support me in my own career. She was warm and witty and always upbeat and positive. I will always remember Mary Lou as one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever had the honor to know. And it was a true honor to know her. My thoughts and prayers are with all of us that knew and loved Mary Lou. She will be missed by many.

peggy walker

Saturday, February 4, 2012

My thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. Mary Lou will was a wonderful person and will be missed. My deepest sympathy, Peggy Walker

Yvonne Frazier

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Dear DJ
I'm so sorry for your loss. Your mom was such a nice lady. I know the memories you have are very happy ones. May God bless you and Bob always.
Yvonne

Jan Diner Hildebrandt

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Dear Debbie and Bob - Mary Lou will be forever etched in my beloved memories and thoughts as my first role model and wonderful friend. Swimming for Mary Lou and Mickie for all those years from age 4 to 20 gave me more than I can express in words or tears and certainly gave me experiences I will never forget. What fond memories - bunking parties, busses to swim meets out of town, winning the MAC meet, close friends, team spirit and individual and team successes, breaking a minute on 100 free, "Jiffy", the cage and those horrible red swim cotton swim suits, the teen dressing room - we can all go on and on.

Mary Lou - thank you for always remembering me and all the letters and holiday cards and for keeping in touch with me and all of your girls. I cherish you and my memories of you and thank you for giving me success, encouraging me and showing me I can be successful individually and with a team, and providing a role model for excellence, compassion, passion and love and for making me feel like an important part of your life all these years. My love always.

Kathryn Brady Ragan

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

I was a year ahead of Mary Lou at St. Mary's and remember Msgr. Keaney's joy when she came out for basketball! Naturally, she was the center and, naturally, she was the star of the team. Naturally, we also started WINNING! I was teaching swimming at the YWCA and Mary Lou was swimming at the Boy's Club in those days. I had a lot of fun at the Mount with Betty Emrick, Mary Lou and the rest of the team. I even swam on the Mount swim team with them my last year there. I lost contact after graduation but never forgot those wonderful, fun days of basketball and swimming we had together.

Saundra Harris

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Hello DJ & Bob,
Just a note to let you know that I will keep you in my prayers. Ms. Mary Lou was a very good person & mother.I will always remember how she Volunteered to drive persons to the "Oasis Choir", and other Meetings.She will be missed!!
Love,Hugs & Kisses,
Saundra Harris
"Former Member of "Oasis Choir"
501 W.22nd
NLR,AR 72114

Autumn Buddenberg Taylor

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Mary Lou will always be a role model for me because of the wonderfully positive, patient, and encouraging way she related to her swimmers. She was adamant about swimming correctly, pushing yourself to be the best you could be, and doing all of that while having fun. Looking back those lessons learned have helped me to be a better teacher.

I remember praying the "Our Father" at the end of her pre swim meet speech. I remember swimming widths at the Y when first learning the strokes. I remember singing on the bus and her NEVER getting upset about how loud we were. I remember her always finding the "good" after a swim. I remember how she would tell each of us what we needed to do to help the team win. I remember her smile.

Thank you, Mary Lou! Your life helped shape so many others.

Certainly our heavenly Father told her, "Well done good and faithful servant."

Christopher Smith

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

With all you accomplished in your life time, your greatest accomplishment was your daughter, DJ. Having spent the last few years around her I'm in awe at the level love you had for her. You are a testament to a life well lived & will forever be missed. With the deepest respect and admiration , Christopher.

Marc Ann Perrine (Bryan)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Mary Lou - I never got to swim for the Y bit I always wanted to! Even though I wasn't on your team I remember you always took a moment to encourage me when I was doing well. The Y was by far the best tram to be on in those days. Marc Bryan- LRBC swimmer (late 1960's)

Margie Bryan

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Fond memories of great competition and respect for you and your team. Jud always admired your ability to rally your swimmers. My condolences to your family.

Pam Jones

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

DJ,
I will sure miss your mom and my aunt I remember the rides in the convertible VW bug the Love Bug! and I remember swimming at the Y - She is with your dad and grandmother now and smiling down on us. She is the lucky one! Celebrate her life as she is honered for it - I miss u too please email me soon and keep in touch God Bless - Pam your cuz

Billy and Marilyn Leavell

Monday, January 30, 2012

DJ, my sympathy to you in the loss of your mother. May you be comforted by our great God.

Debbie Gasaway Medlock

Monday, January 30, 2012

Thanks, Mary Lou, for your guidance, encouragement and support through my years as one of your "girls". You helped each of us become the women we are today.
Debbie Gasaway Medlock
YWCA Swim Team 1960-68

JV McKinney

Monday, January 30, 2012

My prayers go out to the family of Mary Lou. This classy, elegant person was always a joy to be around. My work with the YMCA let me have many meetings with her. I grew to deeply respect this wonderful leader of the YWCA. She impacted thousands with her warm heart and graceful way of caring for others. She was my friend and she made central Arkansas a better place.

marie & bob kitchens

Monday, January 30, 2012

You will be missed by us you were the one that taught
my daughter Pam to swim when she came to Ark in the summers from New York will miss talking to you about my granddaughter about all of her swimming rewards Marie Jaworski Kitchens

Cordell Hart

Monday, January 30, 2012

Mizpah

cynthia wilder raines

Monday, January 30, 2012

So sorry for your loss , from the family of Charlie Wilder

Beckie & Patrick Smith

Monday, January 30, 2012

Dj,
I never had the privilege of meeting your Mom however from all I heard about her from Chris I could tell she was a most remarkable woman. Time will make the loss easier.. it will never heal but time will soften the pain. We love you and we hold you in our hearts at this time of sorrow.

Rachel Goss

Monday, January 30, 2012

Dear Mary Lou must be in a better place now because she was such a force for goodness in this life. What a role model she was for all of us as we grew up on the swim team. And, not least, her beautiful backstroke is forever etched on my memory. She is missed!

Karen Gore Pryor

Monday, January 30, 2012

Mary Lou,
You taught me many things, life lessons. How to be tough and kind and win at the same time. Play fair and focus your mind to succeed. Experiences that I shared with you on the YWCA swim team impacted my life. You gave me my first job teaching swimming. One set of lessons was with challenged children. Well, I've been working with them ever since.
The "Y" helped me teach my 2 babies to swim.
My prayers are with you Debbie and Mr. Burris. Miss your Mother as well.
Great memories and love,
Karen Pryor ( YWCA swimmer 1967-1971)

Lori Dooley Brandon

Monday, January 30, 2012

I was one of 'Mary Lou's girls' too! I started swimming for her on the Y-team when I was in the 6 & under catagory and stayed thru my teen years! Mary Lou was an inspiration to me and many others, not just at he YWCA but in her daily life. Debbie, your mom lives on in our memories. Praying for you at this time of loss. Rest in Peace Mary Lou!

John and Jeff Wilkins

Monday, January 30, 2012

Deb and Bob we are so sorry for your loss...our prayers are with you and your family through these hard times ....may the Lord be with you.

kim cortese

Monday, January 30, 2012

we all love her. we will miss her.

Jeanenne Dallas

Monday, January 30, 2012

I am saddened to find out that we lost Mary Lou. What a lady! My childhood memories are filled with memories of being one of Mary Lou's "ladies"...her Y swim team girls!
What can I say about what she meant to me...I will run out of space! She was a wonderful mentor and friend to me all through my life. She pushed me as a swimmer and team member, she entertained us girls (songs on bus trips, sleepovers at the Y), she took me to my first concert (Tom Jones in Memphis), she gave me my first job (teaching swim lessons at the Y), she made me swim events that I hated (butterfly), but most of all she always told me that she was proud of me! I was never one of the better swimmers, but that didn't matter to her...she loved us all equally.

I tried to visit her on most of my infrequent trips to LR and she was always so happy to see me and we shared memories of the old team. On our last visit, I brought an old swim meet mimeographed program and we talked about the "old" team and the memories. She cherished those times with us!

I will truly miss one of the reasons why I enjoyed going to LR...my visits with Mary Lou!

Debbie, I feel your loss and I hope that you know that your mom was the BEST..she meant alot to alot of people! I am sad that I won't be able to get to NLR for the service, but I will be thinking of Mary Lou, you and the whole community Thursday.

Love, Jeanenne Dallas

Connie Goss

Monday, January 30, 2012

Mary Lou was such an amazing person. Being on her swim team was the single best experience of my childhood. What a wonderful life she helped make for me. To Debbie and her family; I am so sorry for your loss. It is much too soon but what wonderful things she did in that time.

Kees Oudegeest

Monday, January 30, 2012

To the family and all those who benefited from her teaching I send my sincere condolences. Mary Lou meant for me a great competitor, very knowledgable, a motivator without equal, always elegant and very successful in getting the best out of her swimmers. Kees Oudegeest

Teresa Lovern

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Debbie, Bob, & Mary Cavin,

What a wonderful person Mary Lou was! I don't think anything will ever be the same again without her.
I will miss that smile, and her excitement toward life. She was so personable and outgoing.

If there is there anything I can do at any time to be of service to you, please just call.

God bless always,

Teresa Lovern

Mr. and Mrs. Terry Curtis

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Marry Lou, we will miss u very much.... it was soo wonderful to have known u for this long.... u have brought nothin but love and joy in our family..... i loved having u as my step grandma u brought nothin but love and joy to us all..... love u always...


Julia and Terry...

Charles Hart

Saturday, January 28, 2012

We will miss Mary Lou and her sincere outgoing personality. She achieved much and cared for many.

Gene and Carrie Sullivan

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Dear Mary Lou:
We will miss you and your smiling face. Love you. Gene & Carrie Sullivan.
To Debbie and Bob: Please let us know if we can do anything for you.
To Mary Cavin: Thank you for being there for Mary Lou when she needed you most. Your were always the one she mentioned most about taking care of her and what good friends you had always been. If you need any help or anything else, please call us. Carrie & Gene