Mary Louise was born in Lenoir, NC on March 15, 1932 to the late Foster Ray Benfield and Hazel Celeste Honeycutt.
Mary Louise graduated from NC Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in August 1953 and received her Bachelors of Science from UNC-Charlotte in May 1976. She was an active member of First Baptist Church of Statesville for over 60 years where she sang in the choir and volunteered in many church activities. In her free time, Mary Louise loved flower gardening and doing crossword puzzles.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 37 years, Dr. Dockery Durham Lewis Jr in 1992.
Those left to cherish her memory include her son, Raymond D. (Kenlaugh) Lewis; daughter, Mary Louise Lewis of Anderson, SC; sister, Iva Dean Benfield Pitts of Lenior, NC; aunts, Doris Hall and Betty Kennedy; grandchildren, Richard Alexander Lewis, Philip Ryan Lewis, and Kamron Elizabeth Lewis, all of Raleigh; and great-grandchildren, Kaylan Rae Lewis, Alexander “Zander” Lynn Lewis, and Riley June Shelling, who will all miss her dearly.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at First Baptist Church of Statesville with Rev. Dr. Nelson Granade and Rev. Jack Causey officiating. The family will visit with friends one hour prior to the service in the sanctuary beginning at 10:00 a.m. Interment will immediately follow the service at Iredell Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621 and/or to First Baptist Church, 815 Davie Ave., Statesville, NC 28677.
Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements for Mrs. Mary Louise Lewis.
