Obituaries

A visitation for Rev. Mary Lois O'Neal, 87, who passed from this life on Sunday, February 4, 2018, will be held at Friendship United Methodist Church in Sherman at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 7, followed by funeral services at 11:00 a.m. Rev. Roy Spore of Friendship United Methodist Church will officiate. A reception will be held immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall at Friendship. Interment will be held at Friendship Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be former members of Key Memorial United Methodist Church. Dannel Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. Mary Lois Dalton O’Neal was born July 29, 1930 to John Wilson Dalton and Myrtle Martha Abicht Dalton of Grayson County. She passed away at the age of 86 on Sunday, February 4, 2018. She grew up on the family farm west of Sherman and attended Friendship Methodist Church as a child with her parents, siblings and maternal grandparents, George and Addie Abicht. Her paternal grandparents, Burge and Melvina Dalton, were natives of Scottsville, Kentucky. At age 6, Mary Lois enrolled in Pleasant Home School, beginning a lifelong love affair with learning. She later attended high school at Southmayd High School where she was valedictorian of the1947 class. She then attended Austin College in Sherman where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Art Education and Biblical studies. Later she received a Master of Teaching degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma. On September 22, 1956, she married Kenneth Edmond O’Neal in Hopkins Chapel of First Methodist Church, In Sherman. They made their home in Sherman the entirety of their married life. Together they were involved in various church and community activities. He preceded her in death June 14, 2004. After graduating from Austin College she became Educational Assistant at Waples Memorial Methodist Church in Denison, with emphasis on children and youth ministries. Later she served as Administrative Assistant in the Sherman District of Methodist Churches with Philip Walker, D.S. In 1957 she became a member of the Sherman High School faculty teaching art classes and sponsoring the yearbook and newspaper. She later made a career change to Grayson County College when it opened in 1965. She set up the Art program there and loved teaching students drawing, painting, and Art History. After 24 years she retired as a full-time instructor but remained as a teacher for the Senior Avocation and Vocational Education (SAVE) program. Organizational memberships while teaching included Classroom Teachers Association of Sherman which she served as president, the Texas State Teachers Association, and National Education Association. She was also an active member of the Grayson College Faculty Association which she served as both vice-president, then president. A scholarship bears her name “The Mary Lois O’Neal Scholarship” and is awarded to an art student each year. Mary Lois was also a member of Chi (later Psi) Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma and was recognized as a 50-year member by the state organization in 2012. A long-time member of American Association of University Women, she served in several positions including two terms as president. In 1977, AAUW honored her with their “Woman of Achievement” award. Mary Lois was a life-long Methodist. After their marriage, she and Kenneth joined First United Methodist Church in Sherman where she taught Sunday School, served as lay leader, and worked in Wesleyan Service Guild. In 1977 they transferred their membership to Key Memorial UMC where she served as Lay Leader, Lay Member Annual Conference, Chair of Church Council, member of several committees, including worship, education and finance. She was active as a Sunday School teacher, regular liturgist, and leader of a weekday Bible study and spent much of her time in study and preparation. After her retirement she and several colleagues renovated a room at the church and she taught a weekday painting class for senior citizens. Her “painting sermons” were very popular, in which she painted a picture depicting her sermon accompanied by taped music and words for churches and community affairs. Mary Lois participated in the work of women in the church beginning at age 19 in Wesleyan Service Guild in the local church and district. She served as president of UMW at Key Memorial three different times, organized the Key Affirmers, an outreach, supportive program of book reviews and fellowship. She served as vice president of the Sherman-McKinney district UMW for four years and during this time did the artwork for the North Texas Conference Book of History of Women’s Work. She conducted a Lenten series Brown Bag lunch that continued with the Golden Keys. Later she served on the nominating committee, as Spiritual Growth Coordinator and President of District Prayer Group – from concern for church – yearly prayer breakfast group. In 1975, pursuing Christ’s call, she enrolled in the course of study and was granted a License to Preach. She became an interim pastor for the Sherman-McKinney United Methodist District during the superintendency of Rev. Kerby Edwards. During this time she realized her ministry was in the laity. She served terms as director of District Lay Speaking and later Conference Chair. Then she became Director of Instruction, planning and teaching courses for accreditation. In 2003 she designed a course for persons desiring to be teachers. In 2007 she was honored by her peers for 50 years of lay speaking. On July 14, 2016 she was presented a certificate honoring her as a lay servant emeritus. She said that one of the greatest joys of her life was leading worship each third Sunday at Wesley Village and presenting sermons for Lay Speaker revivals with Willie Pointer. It was a great pleasure watching those she taught as they accepted the call. She was involved in the work of the Friendship Cemetery Association for most of her life serving 17 years as President (following her father, John and brother, Roy) and assisting other positions in various ways. In 1986 she published a history of the Friendship Cemetery Association entitled “A Time to Remember”. In 2017 she wrote “Precious Memories: 156 Years of Friendship Cemetery”. She compiled other publications: “Reflections of Life and Faith” published in 2005. In 2017 she compiled two volumes: “When Scriptures Touch Your Heart”, and also published a 2018 calendar including many of her drawings. Her love of people and her faith in God always guided her. When Key Memorial was closed on June 14, 2015 she felt a great loss but had her membership transferred to Friendship UMC on August 23, 2015 to continue to serve. That brought to a close 59 years of teaching adult Sunday School but opened doors to other services. Her love of family was strong, especially for her numerous nieces and nephews and their families. She has been called “Super Aunt”, an especially touching title to her. She was an accomplished artist and her paintings hang in many homes and businesses in the area. Many of these are treasured by family members. Her greatest joy of her life was study of scriptures, rising early in the morning for private study and prayer. She continued to paint and draw daily and never lost her spirit of creativity and excitement. Even after being handicapped in body she accepted invitations for speaking assignments. Mary Lois was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kenneth; sister, Lovena Meador; two brothers, Roy Dalton and Charles Dalton; niece, Betty Shepard; nephews, Raymond Meador and Jerry Dalton. Survivors include nieces and nephews: John and Sharon Meador of Waxahachie, Ann and Eli Harris of Mesquite, Gayle Meador of Sherman, Lois and Mike Norman of Sherman, Carolyn and Art Waldrum of Sherman, Norma and Tony Giarraputo of Sherman, Don and Karen Dalton of Dallas, Barry O’Neal of Sherman, Rebecca and Melvin Owen of Durango, Colorado. Her sister-in-law, Betty O’Neal, and a host of great and great-great nieces and nephews. Special thanks to caregivers through the years: Ruth Campbell, Rita Murphey and Mary Taylor. If desired, memorials may be made to either of her scholarship funds at Grayson College or Austin College, Friendship Cemetery or Friendship United Methodist Church. You may sign the online guestbook at www.Dannelfuneralhome.com.