Mary E. Cross

Mary was born Mary Elizabeth McCarty to Wilber Foster McCarty and Gladys Pearl Witherspoon McCarty in Frederick, Oklahoma, on September 21, 1926. She had two older sisters Laura and Anna Lee. Her father left the family before she was born. Her mother started a photography studio and eventually met and married Harbert Nolan Mitchell and they added another sister, Margaret and two brothers, Nolan and Carl to the family.

They moved to Bethany Oklahoma and Mary met Loyal Cross at church. They both attended Putnam City High School. World War II had started and on October 26th, 1943, they skipped school and took the Interurban street car from OKC to Norman and got married. Loyal joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in San Diego, California. Mary joined him there. When Loyal got out of the Navy, they came back to OKC and started their family. They had two sons, Douglas Roy Cross and Daniel Lee Cross. Loyal started Bethany Dental Lab, and Mary worked as a bookkeeper for Oklahoma Wholesale Furniture located where what is now Bricktown. She also worked for a few radio stations and as a receptionist for a dental office, as well as bookkeeper for the Dental Lab.

She was an excellent seamstress. She made her own clothes, clothes for others, shirts for her boys. She knitted, crocheted. Excellent cook. Always had Sunday dinner with fresh vegetables from her garden for family and friends. She was an artist, decorating her house with her artwork and crafts. Also, a landscape artist. She always had a beautiful yard.

Most importantly, she studied the scriptures daily. Her knowledge was incredible. If you wanted to know where a certain scripture was, she could tell you. She was basically a walking concordance. And she didn't just know the scriptures, she applied them to her daily life. Her sole purpose on this earth was to serve and do the will of the Lord and to bring others to the Lord.

If you read Proverbs 31:10-31, you will see that Mary is the perfect example of the Virtuous Wife. She checked all the boxes.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 76 years, Loyal. Also her parents and her sisters Laura and Anna Lee and brother Nolan. She is survived by her sister Margaret and brother Carl and sons Douglas Cross, Sr. and his family and Daniel Cross, Sr. and his family.

All totaled she has 30 grand, great grand and great-great grandchildren.

A visitation for Mary will be held Friday, March 18, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Bill Merritt Funeral Service, 6201 Northwest 39th Expressway, Bethany, OK 73008.

A celebration of life will occur Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Bill Merritt Memorial Chapel.

Mary will be laid to rest in Resurrection Memorial Cemetery , 7500 W. Britton Rd , Oklahoma City, OK.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.billmerrittfuneralservice.com for the Cross family.