Mary Lou Perryman, 84, passed away Wednesday, September 17, 2014 at Wilson N Jones Hospital, Sherman, TX.

Mary Lou was born April 9, 1930 in Springfield, MO to Frank Lauthern and Eula Mae Sneed Lauthern. Mary Lou attended schools in Willard, MO and graduated from Willard High School in 1947. For the last several years Mary Lou stayed in contact with her classmates and tried to schedule a reunion every couple of years. She was faithful to keep classmates informed of each others health issues and made sure all classmates knew when one of their own had passed away.

She married Bobbie Lee Perryman on May 18, 1947, one day after her graduation from high school. They shared 67 years of marriage together. Mary Lou had numerous secular jobs as secretary to college professors, County Coroner of San Bernadino, CA, and Mentone Missle Plant. However, the position she cherished most was being a pastor’s wife, beginning in 1961 when her husband surrendered to the ministry. Bob and Mary Lou had the opportunity to serve in churches in Pleasant Hope, MO, Fredonia, KS, Overland Park, KS, and Springfield, MO. In 1990 they retired from pastoring and started New Testament Church Planting. In their new ministry they traveled the entire United States raising money to fund new church facilities, building more than 250 churches. Mary Lou has written several books during her years as pastor’s wife ranging from humorous to helpful tools for young women just coming into the ministry. She was called on often to be speaker, entertainer, or mentor for women’s ministry programs throughout the United States. Mary Lou was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities from Louisiana Baptist University. Mary Lou never met a stranger and to know her was to love her!

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Don Lauthern. She is survived by her brother, Jimmy Lauthern and his wife, Shirley, Nashville TN; husband, Bob; daughter, Pamela Kay McGill and her husband, Brian of Florida; daughter, Terry Maddock and her husband, Jim of Whitesboro, TX; grandchildren Jamie Maddock, LaKay Cornell, Charolee Thompson, Brad Maddock and Jeigh Murphy and 10 great grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and beloved friends.

Funeral services honoring Mary Lou’s life will be Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 10:00am at Wilson Creek Baptist Church, Battlefield, MO. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Willard, MO with Don Coleman, J.M. Creighton, Raymond Hardman, Rick Jaquess, Kenny Sawyer, Dwight Scott, Dan Turnbull and Murray Young serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the New Testament Church Planting staff and building crew. A memorial service will be held in Texas at a later date at the Bethel Baptist Church in Howe, TX

Family visitation will be held at Greenlawn Funeral Home South, Springfield, MO from 6:00-8:00pm on Friday, September 19, 2014.

Funeral services are under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home South, Springfield, MO. Online condolences are welcome.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to New Testament Church Planting, Wilson Creek Baptist Church, 6411 S. Farm Road 115, Battlefield, MO 65619.