Mary Louise Stevenson

Mary Louise (Underwood) Stevenson was born June 8, 1947, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Willie and Harry Underwood. She moved to Los Angeles, CA as a young woman to finish her High School Education and take Business courses. Mary found warehouse work as a Shipping Clerk at Operon Distributors in 1979 and stayed with the company for 30 years until she retired at 62 years of age. Mary loved family, dogs, and being a help to others. Mary raised two boys, Harold (Tiffany) Reed (52) and Johnny Johnson (33) to be independent men, on her own. Mary resided in South Los Angeles for over four decades until she moved to San Jacinto, California, to live with her sister, Ruby Wilson. Mary was an active member of First Baptist Church of Perris until her health made it no longer possible.

Mary was called home on December 9, 2021, at age 74 after suffering multiple strokes beginning in August 2018. For 3 years, the strokes left Mary with worsening dementia, but she stayed essentially ‘Mary’ until almost the very end. Mary leaves behind her sister and caregiver Ruby, her two independent men, Harold and Johnny, her niece, LaKeva Bedford, a grandniece Jailynn Rhea, daughter-in-law, Tiffany, granddaughter, Katherine, and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Mary was Harry and Willie’s third oldest of twelve children, inclusive of six boys and six girls: Colongia “Cologne” Arrington, George Underwood, Mary Stevenson, Joe “Buddy” Underwood, Willie Underwood, Robert “Skip” Underwood, Ruby Wilson, Linda “Red” Underwood, Brenda “Lil-Bit” (Victor) Williams, John (Angela) Underwood , Carolyn “Renese” Underwood, and Timmie “Tim” (Kim) Underwood.

Mary was preceded in death by Colongia, George, Joe, Willie, Robert, and Linda.