Mary Lou Harrelson, age 87 of Clinton, Missouri, passed away peacefully, Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at Clinton Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Clinton, Missouri.
Mary Lucille Brown (Mary Lou) was born on July 19,1937 in Clinton, MO to Paul Preston Brown and Edna Lucille (Jennings) Brown. When she was growing up her parents owned a dry cleaning shop just off the southeast corner of the Clinton Square. Mary Lou spent a lot of time at her parent’s business and would love to roam the Clinton Square. At that time it was safe for a young child to do this. She always talked about attending movies at the old Lee Theatre where a ticket was only a dime. Mary Lou accepted Christ as her savior as a teenager at the First Baptist Church of Clinton, MO.
She attended all twelve grades of school in the Clinton School District graduating in 1955. She loved school and would talk a lot about walking home at the end of the school day with her friends. Mary Lou had a special group of friends that met in high school. In the past few years, they always made arrangements to get together during Clinton’s Old Glory Days event. Mary Lou was married on August 17, 1957 to Ralph Richard Harrelson. They were married in her parents home on South Water Street. She made her own wedding cake and used surprise lilies from their yard for her flowers. Every year when the surprise lilies bloomed it reminded her of her wedding flowers. To this union two children were born Paula and Jeff.
Mary Lou was a hard worker not only at home but also in the workforce. She spent years working as a bookkeeper at Stewart Nattinger Products. She would come home after a long day on the job and can green beans and tomatoes from Ralph’s garden. Mary Lou was an excellent seamstress. She made Paula’s wedding dress and helped her granddaughters learn to sew too. After she retired she loved to scrapbook. She had albums and albums full of photos that she would take at all the family gatherings. She was also an excellent cook. Her daughter and granddaughters are still trying to get her recipe for coleslaw and vegetable soup mastered. She would tell them how she made those dishes but somehow they never taste as good as grandmas.
Mary Lou loved her family. She was excited when she began having great grandchildren and always said she wanted to live as long as she could to watch them grow. She took the very best care of Ralph prior to his death even though her health was beginning to decline.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, her parents, her brother Harold and all of Ralph’s siblings.
She is survived by her children, Paula (Harrelson) Jones and her husband Scott; her son Jeffrey and his wife Shelley; her grandchildren Matthew Jones and wife Tabitha; Meagan (Jones) Johnson and husband Matt; Caraline (Harrelson) Hill and husband Chris; Preston Harrelson and wife Hailee; Kayla (Harrelson) Smith and husband Jeremy; and Gretchen (Harrelson) Aunquoe and husband Chance. Great grandchildren Adalyn and Avery Jones; Tucker, Maggie and Liam Johnson; Elsie and Emmett Hill; Duke and Sage Harrelson and Stella Aunquoe. She is also survived by two sister-in-laws Jerene Harrelson and Sharon Harrelson and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held June 19, 2025 at the Vansant-Mills Chapel, Clinton with Pastor Tim Wessley officiating. Special music included “The Lord’s Prayer” by Preston Harrelson, “Amazing Grace” by Preston and Kayla Harrelson, and “I’ll Fly Away” by all her grandkids. The casket bearers were Matt Jones, Matt Johnson, Chris Hall, Preston Harrelson, Chance Aunquoe and Jeremy Smith. Interment followed in Englewood Cemetery, Clinton, MO.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
