Mary Elizabeth LeSueur

On Friday, August 6, 2020, Mary Elizabeth LeSueur, loving wife and mother of three boys, 11 grandchildren, and 26 great grandchildren, passed away at the age of 97.

Mary was born on August 14, 1922 in Harrodsburg, Kentucky to Clyde and Effie Terhune.  She was the sixth child of 10 children, five boys and five girls.  The family lived in a large two-story home on a farm known as The Fountain Blue, named for the natural spring on the property.  She was always proud of her home and upbringing and would perk up when someone would mention “Kentucky” and then she would talk about how beautiful it was.  During Mary’s early years her mother was bedridden for several years and died of cancer when Mary was around 11.  As a teenager, Mary was eager to help out the family and took it upon herself to care for her four younger siblings.  She admired her father for his great faith in the Lord.  She also loved her siblings.  At the end of her life, when her memory was fading, she could still rattle off all their names in correct order.

Growing up, Mary went by her middle name, Elizabeth.  She didn’t particularly like the name because she thought it was too long.  All the other kids in school had shorter names and would always finish before her when they were asked to write their name.  She learned to cope but after she graduated from Fairview High School in 1942, she starting going by Mary.  She attended Crump Business College in Lexington, Kentucky for one year then went to Washington D.C. and worked for the Veterans Administration for four years.  Her sister Peggy also worked there.  She made many beautiful friends and it was hard for her to leave.

She and Peggy came to California to visit her sister Delores and Al Manning.  The sisters liked California and wanted to stay.  Mary got a job as an operator at the telephone company in Los Angeles and worked there for four years.  She met her husband, Gordon LeSueur, in March 1950 and married October 11, 1952.  After a honeymoon to Yosemite they returned to live for a short time in Los Angeles and San Bernardino before eventually settling in Twentynine Palms, near Gordon’s business.

Mary and Gordon lived in Twentynine Palms for 32 years.  This is where they raised their three boys, Brandon, Lyndon and Glendon, the –don brothers.  They loved the desert and made many wonderful friends and memories.  Mary became an accomplished artist and had her own art show at a local museum.  She would paint desert landscape but loved painting roses.  For a short time, she signed her paintings as Liz LeSueur.   Those paintings with that signature are rare and are now highly valued.

Once their boys were grown and married, Mary and Gordon moved to Yucca Valley where they enjoyed their retirement.  When Gordon passed away in 1996, Mary continued to live on her own and was active in her church and town activities.  She was constantly looking out for and caring for her family and those around her.  She would drop everything to cook a meal, tend to a grandchild or help out with a project.  She was always giving assistance to many charities by helping those less fortunate.  She had a selfless spirit that was an inspiration to those who knew her.  She left a legacy of giving and selfless love forged from her strong family values and upbringing.  She will be greatly missed but always loved.  ‘Til we meet again sweet Mary.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 14, 2020 at 3 p.m.  at Walker Funeral Home, 587 South 100 West, Payson, Utah, with a visitation from 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. at the Funeral Home prior to the services.  Interment will take place on Monday, August 17, 2020 at 1 p.m., at the Joshua Tree Memorial Park, 60121 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.