On a beautiful Texas fall day on October 22, 2024, Mary Lou Marie McGuire Hennessy went to be with our Lord, surrounded by her "honey" and girls.
She was born in Houston Texas on May 14, 1945 and married to Richard Hennessy for 55 years.
They both grew up in Houston, Texas and met while Richard was subbing on a church bowling league. Of course, their bowling didn't end there. They continued to bowl on bowling leagues and bring their children to the bowling alleys, enjoying time together.
Mary Lou began her working career as a secretarial supervisor at Texaco Incorporated.
Mary Lou and Richard moved around Texas as he worked for Texas cities of Port Arthur, Amarillo, Midland, and McKinney. Mary Lou was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She put her entire heart and soul into raising three lovely and successful daughters full-time. Mary Lou enjoyed community and joined many clubs and activities, including Mother of Twins Club, Permian Basin Run Club, and St. Ann's PTO. In fact, the girls can remember several occasions in which Mary Lou literally choked on dinner trying to rush to St. Ann's PTO meetings when she was president.
After the girls were older, Mary Lou worked in executive secretarial positions and even worked as an elementary school secretary in the girls' neighboring schools to be close to home. There were many stories of Mary Lou bringing home animals that she saw on school grounds. It was never a shock to her family to come home to a new cat or dog.
Mary Lou was full of life and adventure. She enjoyed running with their run club in Midland and even took that joy to run the Ft. Worth Cowtown marathon in 1994. She enjoyed capturing all her moments with scrapbooking to creatively share her memories.
Within all those amazing adventures and trips, Mary Lou's favorite place to be was at the beach. She would walk along collecting her favorite shells, intact or broken; they were all perfect to her. Ever in loyalty to Richard, her favorite spectator sport was Texas A&M football. They enjoyed many seasons of traveling to College Station, sitting with their friends, and always rooting for the Ags.
Mary Lou and Richard have been blessed with nine amazing grandchildren, seven boys and two girls.
In retirement, Mary Lou and Richard loved to travel all over the United States to see fall foliage, her favorite, during their many visits to state and national parks. During their travels, they toured all but a few of the 50 states, learning all they could at the places they visited. Out of their travels, Mary Lou's favorite was Yosemite national park and seeing the nearby redwoods.
Mary Lou's family includes husband, Richard Hennessy and daughters and sons-in-law; Colleen Cleveland of McKinney, Kathleen and Jered Cameron of Collinsville, and Kimberly and Hank Billings of Severna Park, Maryland. Their nine beautiful grandchildren include Christian Young of Howe, Cora Cameron of Denison, Dalton Cameron of Sherman, Colten, Gibson, and Molly Billings of Severna Park, Maryland, Wyatt Cameron of Collinsville, and McGuire and Cailan Cleveland of McKinney.
Proceeded in her death are father, John Anthony McGuire of Houston and mother, Merle McGuire of Houston.
Mary Lou lived her life in such a way that everyone that knew her loved her. She had an infectious smile, a joyful laugh and a positive outlook. She would love nothing more than to continue to spread that joy. Therefore, please bring flowers, especially sunflowers, tulips and daisies, to be shared after the funeral with the residents of the memory care and assisted living facility where Mary Lou spent her last few years.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Lou will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 4, 2024, at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, 1914 Ridgeview Drive, Allen, Texas, 75013. Interment will follow at DFW National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas. A visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, November 3, 2024, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas, 75013 with a Rosary Service beginning at 7:00 p.m.