Mary L. Letourneau

Mary Lillian (Jobe) Letourneau passed away peacefully in Tampa General Hospital on July 23, 2024. Born in Tampa, Florida, June 10, 1930, she was the beloved daughter of Frances Douglas Jobe and Alailia Melrose (Clemens) Jobe. She was a devoted wife to Leo Adrian Letourneau whose marriage lasted 73+ years. Always known as Lillian, she met Leo at MacDill Air Force Base during a USO dance. She is the loving Mother of seven children: Leo Michael Letourneau (Vicki), Lillian Marie Letourneau (Mike), Robert Joseph Letourneau, John Adrian Letourneau (Hollye), Paul Anthony Letourneau (Sandi), Ronald Edward Letourneau and Jean Annette Letourneau Rosado (Jimmy).

Lillian was raised mostly in Tampa, Florida, along with her sisters, Florence Carolyn Jobe (Balentine) , Alailia Meridyth Jobe (Schroder), Virginia Richey Jobe (Hardee), Marguerite Melrose Jobe (Castro) and her brother, Frances Olin Jobe. Lillian graduated from Jefferson High School in Tampa Florida and was the Valedictorian of her High School class.

Through the years, Mom had many different jobs. Before her marriage, Lillian was a secretary in an office for Tamiami Trucking. When her older children were small, she worked at a Winn-Dixie/QuickChek store. She sold Tupperware for a while and was a good seamstress, sometimes earning extra money sewing dresses for friends. She worked many years for the Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard operator. Just as our Dad is an artist with music, Mom was an artist in her own right--everyone who saw her decorated cakes saw her talent, and there were many years when people paid Mom to make their cakes for the special moments in their lives. In her later years, Mom cooked meals for Publix at an in-store kiosk.

For decades, Mom was the family cook for holiday dinners. After her own children became adults, Mom continued to be the family caregiver. She took care of grandchildren and great-grandchildren daily for decades. After Dad retired, Mom and Dad did some travelling. They took a vacation to Ireland, went on Caribbean cruises, and traveled to Germany with Paul. They shared timeshare vacations with some of us. Their sons, Mike and Paul, took Mom and Dad to Costa Rica, a place she had always wanted to visit.

When two of her sons, Ronald and Bob, were diagnosed with terminal cancer, Mom took care of them during their final years.

Throughout her entire adult life, Mom fulfilled the gospel of Christ. In Matthew 25:40, it says “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Mary Lillian Letourneau is the fulfillment of that passage. All of her surviving children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember Mom and the unconditional love that she had for all of us. We will cherish many happy memories.

Mary Lillian Letourneau is survived by her loving husband, Leo Letourneau, her sister, Marguerite Castro and five of her children, Leo Michael, Lillian Marie, John Adrian, Paul Anthony, Jeannie Annette and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The celebration of life for Mary Lillian Letourneau will be Thursday, August 1, 2024. Visitation is at 10:00 am followed by Catholic Mass at 11:00 am at Mary Help of Christian Church. A brief graveside service will be held at 12 noon Myrtle Hill Memorial Park, 4228 East Lake Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33610 .