Mary Louise Green

Mary Louise Ayers was born August 13, 1936, (one of the hottest summers on record), in Anthony, Kansas to Edward Walton and Ruth Elise (Walker) Ayers. Mary was the second of four girls in that family. The “Ayers girls” were close their entire lives, enjoying one another’s company for shopping weekends, trips, and any excuse for a family gathering. Their laughter was contagious to each other. They may be the only people to have been thrown out of Panera Bread for excessive laughter.

Mary grew up in Wakita, Oklahoma. She attended Wakita schools her entire childhood. Mary had two special friends growing up: Bea Feist and Barbara Northcutt. Those three were inseparable! They remained close throughout their lives, despite living in three different states.

Mary married her childhood sweetheart, H.J. Green, in October of 1954. To this union three sons were born: Eddie, Eric and Jon. Their family lived primarily in Tulsa. Mary was a homemaker while the boys were growing up. The boy world was foreign to Mary, coming from a family of all girls, but she wouldn’t have traded them for anything! She would tell you they were “just awful” at times (and they admit they were!). When the boys were mostly grown, Mary went back to school at Tulsa University and obtained her degree in elementary education, then taught special education in the Tulsa Public Schools until retirement.

Friendships were golden to Mary. In her 40s a group of women became fast friends and started calling themselves the “Golden Girls”. Mary, Paula, Micheallynn, Judy, Myrna, and J.T. spent many occasions together, and were friends for life!

Mary was devoted to her family. We could count on snickerdoodles being warm upon arrival to her home, some soft and some crispy, in order to please everyone. Mary’s unselfish love for her family included caring for Eric’s children for an extended time so Beth could be with Eric receiving cancer treatments in Little Rock, picking up Kristina and Kayla from school and helping with their homework, cooking harvest meals with her sisters for Eddie’s crew, and making ham and beans each year for Jon’s birthday dinner, even into her eighties. Mary’s hugs were warm and genuine. She regularly had grandkids spend the night and loved every minute of it! Her home was a gathering place, full of love and laughter. It wasn’t large, but we would crowd into there, covering all spaces, just to be together.

Mary loved movies. She watched them at home and often took the kids and grandkids to the theater. She loved to eat out while living in Tulsa and had her favorite places she frequented with family and friends.

Mary was able to travel some, thanks to Eric and Beth. Their trip to Switzerland with her friend Paula was a highlight for Mary.

When Mary’s health started declining, she chose to move to Wakita in 2019 to be closer to her sisters. In her later years, the “Ayers girls” were all together again.

Mary passed away peacefully on June 17, 2025 surrounded by her sisters, Eddie, and the incredibly caring staff at Community Health Center in Wakita. Mary was genuinely loved by that staff in her last years, more than what we could’ve asked! The staff became Mary’s family, too. Our gratitude to them for her care is unending!

Mary is preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Beverly Lacy; her son, Eric Green; her brothers-in-law, Gene Lacy, Bill Jones, and Paul Schuelke, and a host of friends.

Mary is survived by: two sons Eddie (Connie) and Jon (Michelle); one daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Green-Allen (Jeff); sisters, Sue Jones and Eda Schuelke; grandchildren, Kyle Green, Kelli (Clinton) Grell, Kristina Green, Kayla (Adam) Marshall, Ryan Green, Erin Green, and Megan Quinn; great-grandchildren are: Alexis Marshall, Carter Cox, Hunter Marshall, Harper Grell and Kinsley Brewster. Mary was very close to her nieces and nephews, and loved by many friends. Her presence will be missed, but the memories of anyone who knew her will be held dearly.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Community Health Center or Alzheimer’s Association and mailed in care of: Lanman Funeral Home, PO Box 42, Kiowa, KS 67070.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Wakita Christian Church, 210 S. Elm, Wakita, OK 73771. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc of Medford. www.lanmanfuneralhome.com Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc.

A private family burial was held at an earlier date.