May 24, 2014

Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Louise Hemler, age 80, of Picayune, Miss., who passed away following a brief illness on May 24, 2014, will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 2 p.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Picayune.

The Rev. Joseph Truong Trinh will officiate the Memorial Mass.

Burial will immediately follow in New Palestine Cemetery under the direction of McDonald Funeral Home.

A longtime resident of Picayune, Mary was born in Bremerhaven, Germany. She worked in 2 factories and as a telephone operator before becoming a homemaker. Before settling in Picayune, Mary traveled extensively as an Air Force serviceman’s wife for 14 years, with the family settling in Maryland for 9 years once her husband was honorably discharged from the military. In 1976 the family moved from Maryland to Picayune when her husband’s job was transferred to what is now known as the Stennis Space Center. Mary was a Cub Scout den mother, band booster, dance mom, chaperone, and general cheerleader to her children, and she supported them in many ways through college and graduate school.

She was an avid reader, frequenting the local library for many years, and she instilled her love of reading in her three children. She was also passionate about music, especially opera.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 28 years, Louis G. Hemler, Sr.

She was a loving and devoted mother to three children. She is survived by: her daughter Virginia M. Hemler and husband Arthur H. Ehlers III of Stephenson, Va.; son Louis G. Hemler, Jr., of Fort Worth, Texas; and daughter Christine Hemler Smith and husband Eric K. Smith, of Germantown, Md. She also had one beloved grandchild, Veronica G. Smith. Lastly, she is survived by a sister, Johanna Clausen and husband Christian Clausen, of Punta Gorda, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, because she was a Friend of the Library, the family requests that donations in her memory be made to the Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library, 900 Goodyear Blvd, Picayune, MS 39466.

Obituary, register book, and driving directions may be found on the website, www.mcdonaldfh.com.