Mildred Oleta Walls

Mildred Oleta Vernon Walls, age 96, passed peacefully on Sunday, March 15, 2026. She was born in Abilene, Texas on April 28, 1929, to the late H. Earl Vernon and Willie Ophelia Dodson Vernon. As the youngest of seven, she was the last sibling our Lord called home.

The family moved to Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas, when she was two years old. Upon graduating from W. H. Adamson High School in 1946, Oleta attended Southern Methodist University on a Fashion Design scholarship from Neiman Marcus.

It was at SMU she met her forever love and married William Earl Walls on May 1, 1947. They spent 66 years together before his passing. They had two daughters, Linda Jean Walls and Lanetta Jane Walls Sprott (Charles). She was blessed with three granddaughters, Leasa Sanders McIntosh, Leslie Sanders McIntosh (Steven Borelli) and Amy Sprott Crowell (Scott), six great grandchildren, and three great great grandchildren!

Her entrepreneurial skills, artistic talents, and fashion designs are world renowned.

As an entrepreneur, she created an extremely successful business – M. Oleta’s Custom Table Skirting. The additional details M. Oleta’s provided was like adding the perfect frame to a painting creating a masterpiece. Brides, the Queen of England, a US President, film celebrities, businesses and corporations, and political dignitaries of all levels had their special event enhanced by M. Oleta’s.

Her paintings are displayed in homes and offices around the United States and Europe. Always sharing her talent, she held art workshops for both children and adults, even in the retirement center, where she lived for the last 7 years in Lampasas, Texas.

Throughout her life she designed and created beautiful garments. Entering and winning at the State Fair of Texas Creative Arts, one of her designs was copied by a prestigious retail store! Always eager to sketch designs then produce, she loved creating Easter dresses, prom and wedding dresses, and those special occasions dresses like for the Mother of the Bride, for family and friends.

She was a member of the Lometa United Methodist Church and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 116 in Lometa, Texas, and an honorary member of the Oak Cliff Woman’s Club, and past member of the Texas Garden Clubs.

Never meeting a stranger, her engaging sincere heart made those around her comfortable and feel loved. She was an angel on earth, now a very special one in heaven above.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Special Olympics, Team Texas, Golf Team to attend the USA games in June in Minnesota: USA Games 2026 - Team Texas (https://pro.gofundme.com/team/753821) or your favorite charity.