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Mary Louise Mayo, 85, of Lake Tillery passed away Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Atrium Health Stanly Hospital.

Mary Louise was born September 1, 1936 in Bexar County, TX to the late Louis William Weir and Mary Blackstock Weir. She was raised near San Antonio, TX, but her journey through life allowed her to experience and enjoy many places.  After meeting and marrying Merle Mayo in Texas, they moved to Aurora, NC, running a farm that included a crop-dusting operation.  She applied her bright green thumb to a successful greenhouse/nursery business.  They later built a shopping center in town where they operated both a restaurant and clothing store.  After moving to Cary, and then Sanford, in the mid-eighties, she broadened her skills from managing a retail shoe store, to becoming a licensed real estate agent, office secretary, and property manager for Cross and Brinn Real Estate.  Mary Louise enjoyed working and being helpful to others.

Retirement from full time work did not mean retirement from being busy.  When she retired, Mary Louise moved to Pinehurst, NC and assumed part-time work at both First Bank in the Mortgage Department, and at Sandhills Gymnastics as their receptionist.  She completed her multi-faceted working career by working part-time for a temp agency where she enjoyed the short term and project-oriented assignments, with two that led to a long-term assignment at Sandhills Community College and with a medical billing company.

She thoroughly enjoyed shopping and traveling extensively throughout the United States and internationally with her brother Bill and his wife.  Her hobbies included needlework, sewing, gardening, shopping, travel, and crossword puzzles.  She had a part-time business for 30 years with her daughter Pat, and treasured the time they spent at craft shows, working with customers.

She is survived by her daughters Patricia Lynch (husband Bill) of Lake Tillery, NC, Catherine Shoenthaler (husband David) of Oriental, NC, and Sandra Mayo (husband David Melgar) of Raleigh, NC; 3 grandsons; 2 great-grandchildren; and her brother Dr. Bill Weir (wife Carol) of Merced, CA.

In addition to her parents and husband, Merle Mayo, she was preceded in death by her sister Laverne Fischer of New Braunfels, TX.

A memorial service will be held Friday, June 10, 2022 at 2:00PM at Boles Funeral Home, 425 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387.

In lieu of flowers the family requests you consider a charitable contribution in her memory to the NC Zoological Society, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205 or at NCZOO.com.

Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.