Mary Elizabeth Landrum

For 28 years, Elizabeth Landrum, 58, delivered children and their chaperones safely to school, field trips, UIL events and home again. On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, the White Oak ISD bus driver was taken to her heavenly home by the Lord.

Born Mary Elizabeth Newell on May 1, 1953, in Laurel, Miss., she grew up in Richton, Miss., and married her true love, Carl Landrum, on May 30, 1969. She had resided in Texas since 1979, where she also coached her three daughters in softball, served in her church's mission programs (both as a teacher and as a chaperone to Mexico) at Emmanuel Baptist in White Oak, prepared tons of food for Wednesday evening meals and attended an untold number of piano recitals.

At the time of her death, she was a member of New Beginnings Baptist in Longview and actively involved in the lives of her five granddaughters, as well as the lives of other special friends, including Jessica, Brianné and Alyssa Mathews. Her most recent adventures took her to Orange Beach, Ala., this summer, where she decided to float in the ocean—for fun. Elizabeth filled up each of her days on earth with laughter, making it difficult for those around her to not join in. Her passing leaves a void in the lives of many family, friends and co-workers, as well as her small charges and fellow Roughneck football fans.

The family will hold a special service to honor Elizabeth's life at 10 a.m. today, August 26, 2011, at the White Oak High School auditorium. Pastor Todd Kaunitz of New Beginnings Baptist Church will officiate.

She is survived by her husband; her daughters and their husbands, Cristy and David Baker, Bridgette and Johnny Martin and Amelia and Stan Browne; her granddaughters, Katie Garrett, Beth Peterson, Amy Martin, Autumn Browne and Kyleigh Browne; two brothers and their wives, Thomas Newell and Danny and Kathy Newell; two sisters and their husbands, Cyndi Freeman and Sonny and La Dora Long; one brother-in-law and his wife, Albert and Sara Landrum; special family friend Lee Doby; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wylie Lester Newell and Bertha Lee Newell; and one sister-in-law, Barbara Newell.

Donations may be made in her memory to New Beginnings Baptist Church of Longview.