Mary Lee Flewellen

From the heavenly and sacred halls of the kingdom on May 25,1934, a divine and anointed child came here with a purpose. As decreed by the will and authority of the king, Roosevelt and Beulah Brown Thomas were assigned to be her earthly parents.

Born fifth in a family of fourteen children, she voluntarily took on the role of matriarch of the family to both her five children and other siblings. Upon moving to Dallas she met and married Bobby Flewellen in 1957. Emerging from an obscure and humble beginning she spent her childhood picking cotton and yet in the cotton field she was a leader and possessed entrepreneurial inclinations, upon moving to Dallas, she enrolled in The Madame C. J. Walker Beauty School. She worked in several salons until finally she had enough money and faith to open her own salon which still is in existence and in operation today more than fifty years later.

Mary accepted and committed her life to Christ at a very young age. She united with and served faithfully in various churches throughout the city: Evangelist Holy Temple, Full Gospel Holy Temple, Lighthouse COGIC and others. Her worship and service continued until her health wouldn’t permit her to go.

God told Jeremiah “Before you were born, I set you apart for a special life and work. May Lee (often referred to) was called to love and to extend love to all she encountered. Not only did she extend love, but also enjoyed doing so, Her gracious kind and gentle spirit gave others a contagious feeling of peace. Most of all, she was a woman with incredible and confident faith. Whatever the task, she did it with prayer, faith and passion. Mary Lee was without doubt strictly business but she never lost the human touch. A great motivator and motivational speaker. A very important and necessary part of her motivation was discipline whenever needed.

She instilled in her children the rewards and power of “ A made up mind.” She was indeed the rock they could stand on because she led by example. They were taken to church and taught the words of scripture. One of her favorite verses taught to her children was: Luke 6:38. Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, shall be given unto your bosom.

As a genuine Christian full of God’s grace and love her generosity not only extended in the city and community, but also spanned help to underprivileged children in South Africa. In fact she provided the funds and a school has been established and named in her honor.

Mary’s lasting legacy will eternally be: I tried to help somebody as I traveled through life, so that my living was not in vain. Her family and friends will always miss her, but her legacy will live eternally.

She was preceded in death by her siblings: Issac Thomas, Elisha Thomas, Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., Louis H. Thomas, Lee Dell Thomas, Clarence Lee Author Johnson, Beulah M. Johnson, Jimmy Johnson, and Mack Evan Johnson.

Family and friends left to continue giving praise to God for her life are: Children: Kenneth Thomas (Lyzette) , Bobby Flewellen (Tannia) , Edmond Flewellen (Kim), Sherry Flewellen, Karon Flewellen and a special daughter Terrilyn Chester Lee. Grand children: Brian Flewellen, Ana Rhoden, Ashley Echols, Cherri Thomas, Christina Garr, Christopher Thomas , Christian Flewellen, Justin Jackson, Matthew Flewellen, Austin Flewellen , Iyona Lindsey and six great-grandchildren. Two sisters Martha Polk of Dallas, Susie Smith of Winnsboro Louisiana. One brother Willie Fred Thomas of Dallas and host of other relatives and friends.

God has spoken, now let the church say Amen.