Mary Frances Van Lierop

Mary Frances Aden Van Lierop, 93, was born in Christmasville,Tennessee to Clint and Sallie Belle Aden. Her father operated a small grocery store in McKenzie, Tennessee. Mary Frances attended McKenzie High School graduating Valedictorian of her class in 1936.

All through her high school years she studied the piano and played the Rachmaninoff C# Minor Prelude at her graduation. Mary Frances attended Bethel University in McKenzie, graduating in 1940, Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Education with an emphasis in History and English Literature. Her first teaching position was in Brooksville, Mississippi teaching first grade. The next four years Mary Frances returned to McKenzie to teach fourth and fifth grades. It was at that time that she met her future husband, the Rev. John H. Van Lierop,who was a student pastor at the Presbyterian Church in McKenzie.They married in 1944 at the local Methodist Church where Mary Frances was a member. The Van Lierops served seven churches in the 42 years that John was a minister. They had churches in McKenzie, Tennessee; St. Louis, Missouri; Eugene, Oregon; Portland, Oregon; Spokane, Washington; Seattle, Washington; Sandy, Oregon. Mary Frances was an ideal minister's wife, always staying in the background and letting her husband receive the attention that he needed. She was a natural-born speaker and was asked to speak many times at various church functions. Mary Frances also had a flair for writing and would compose devotional articles for their church paper

entitled "Musings from the Manse". She loved to play piano and organ duets with her son, John, Jr., a professional piano teacher in West Seattle, WA. They would share their talents at church, retirement homes, as well at her son's student piano recitals. Mary Frances loved to travel with her family during the summer months visiting such places as Western Europe, the Holy Land, Western & Eastern Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, and many US National Parks. She was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in 1999 and was determined to overcome it. Mary Francis credits her 11 years of remission to the excellent care from Dr. Charles Drescher of the Pacific Gynecology Specialists; her strong family support; and her unwavering faith in God. When the cancer returned a little over a year ago the family viewed her remaining life as 'God's Extra Inning'. In this period of time Mary Frances witnessed her daughter's retirement and her son's purchase of his first Steinway piano. Mary Frances died peacefully at her son's side at Swedish Hospital on Dec. 15, 2011 of complications from pneumonia. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, the Rev. John

H Van Lierop and her two devoted and loving children, Mary Aden Van Lierop and John H. Van Lierop, Jr. A Memorial Celebration of Mary Frances' life was held on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2:00pm at Tibbetts United Methodist Church, 3940 41st Ave. SW in West Seattle. The family requests memorial contributions to be made to either Tibbetts United Methodist Church's Memorial Fund or to "Conversations", a newsletter for women fighting ovarian cancer, P.O. Box 7948, Amarillo, TX 79114-7948. To sign the online guestbook or to view a picture gallery of Mary Frances Van Lierop go to www.forestlawn-seattle.com.