Mary Ella Louis, née Herbert

Mary Ella grew up in Norfolk and had fond memories of her grandfather who put sugar on her lettuce and rolled it up so she could “eat it like the bunnies.” She eventually moved to Arlington, VA and attended Washington Lee High School. Mary Ella spent the remainder of her teen years in England after her stepfather, Claude M. Wade, was transferred there for work. She particularly remembered attending the debutante balls in London during that time and getting photographed for the society magazines. After returning to the United States, Mary Ella attended the Richmond Professional Institute (part of what is now Virginia Commonwealth University) graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Retailing in 1957. Over the years she held jobs in retail, teaching, tax preparation, and in the administrative office at Falls Church High School from which she retired.

Mary Ella met Frederick “Fred” William Louis through mutual friends as part of a ride-share between Northern Virginia where their families lived and their respective schools in southern Virginia. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day in 1958 and married on April 3, 1958, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA. As an only child, Mary Ella longed for a large family, and she and Fred had five children that they raised in Falls Church, VA. They happily spent years supporting swimming, soccer, track, football, and basketball with their children (and later with their grandchildren).

They spent weekends at their farm in Rixeyville, VA where she was able to garden–a hobby she truly enjoyed. Many of the beautiful flowers that bloom at the farm today were planted by Mary Ella years ago. In addition to gardening, she also loved sewing (especially making dolls), reading, crossword puzzles, and musicals (My Fair Lady was a favorite) and was often humming or singing her favorite show tunes. Mary Ella was also a gifted artist with so many lovely drawings and paintings that are still enjoyed by the family today.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Frederick “Fred” William Louis (deceased 2020), and her sons Frederick Warren Louis (deceased 1959) and Michael “Mike” William Louis (deceased 2022). She is survived by her children: Teri(Mike)Gerhold of Plant City, FL; Glenn (Lori) Louis of Warrenton, VA; Kurt (Donna Lea) Louis of Fairfax, VA; and Jeff (Anne) Louis of Warrenton, VA; as well as daughters-in-law Karen Louis of Gainesville, VA, and Karen Lewis of Lewes, DE. Nine grandchildren also survive her: Mike (Jenn) Gerhold, Pat (Kristin) Gerhold, Kurt James Louis, Lauren (Justin) Robson, Megan (Ben) Louis, Kyle Louis, Emma (Nate) Collins, Christopher (Allison) Louis, and Matthew (Bridget) Louis; as well as eight great-grandchildren: Brooke Gerhold, Kennedy Gerhold, Piper Gerhold, Addison Robson, Harper Gerhold, Steele Robson, Oliver Bertrand, and Natalie Bertrand. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Charlie (Daphne) Louis, sister-in-law Pat (Larry)Taylor, niece Laura Taylor, and nephews Charlie Taylor and Robert Simpson.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations on behalf of Mary Ella Louis to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org)