Obituary of Mary Lou (Priestley) Perry

Mary Lou (Priestley) Perry, 70, of Perryville, LA, joined her Lord and Savior on Thursday, October 15, 2015. Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church of Sterlington, LA, at 11 AM Tuesday, October 20, 2015 with Rev. Ben Hackler and Rev. David Chapman officiating. Interment will follow in Christ Church Cemetery in Bastrop, LA. Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church of Sterlington, from 5 PM until 7 PM Monday, October 19 under the direction of Golden Funeral Home. Mary Lou was born in Bastrop, LA to the late Wesley Guthrie Perry, Sr. and Bertha Mae "Boots" Hewitt Perry. She attended Bastrop High School then earned her teaching degree and masters degree in education from Northeast Louisiana University. She taught for three years in California while her husband was in the Navy. After returning home to Perryville, she continued her teaching career at A. L. Smith Elementary in Sterlington, as a second grade teacher, for 37 years. For Mary Lou, teaching was not only a career but a passion. Her love for her students not only impacted their education but also influenced their lives long after they left her classroom. Through her career, she was honored by receiving many awards, including Ouachita Parish Teacher of the Year 2004-2005. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Sterlington where she cherished the support of her church family. Because of her genuine kindness and ability to see the beauty in everyone and everything, she touched the lives of everyone she met. She fought her 15 year battle with breast cancer with a smile on her face and never a complaint. She is preceded in death by her parents, Wesley Guthrie Perry, Sr. and Bertha Mae "Boots" Hewitt Perry; the father of her children, Harold Travis Priestley, III; nephews, Wesley "Wes" Guthrie Perry, III, Brandon Douglas Holmes; and brother-in-law, Douglas Holmes. Ms. Perry is survived by her children, Chad Priestley and Holly Priestley; the joys of her life, her grandchildren, Wesley and Hailey Priestley all of Perryville, LA; brother, Wesley Guthrie Perry, Jr. and wife Rosalie Sclafani Perry of Lake Charles, LA; sister, Brenda Perry Holmes of Josephine, TX; nieces, Rhonda Perry Monlezun and husband J.D. of Lake Charles, LA, JoAnna Perry Bearb and husband Chris of Lake Charles, LA, Melissa Ann Holmes of Josephine, TX; grand nieces and nephews, Madison Monlezun, Jace Perry, John David Monlezun, Landon Bearb, Luke Monlezun, Brady Monlezun, Alaina Bearb; other family, Peggy Priestley Vallery and her family, Vicki Priestley Stamper and her family, her faithful cat companion Emma, and many other beloved extended family, friends, and neighbors. Serving as pallbearers will be Johnny Legg, J.D. Monlezun, Chris Bearb, Jace Perry, Parnell Perry, and Joe Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Bailey, Jimmy White, and Don Turner. The family would like to thank staff, nurses, and doctors who cared for her throughout her fight with breast cancer. A special thanks to her angel and best friend, Peggy Dixon that continuously lifted her spirits and shared many great adventures.