Mrs. Mary Lewis Poole

4/22/2020

Mary Lewis Poole passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.  She was a beloved wife, mother, daughter, and sister.  She spent her 86 years in service to others bringing great joy as an outstanding organist, hand bell director, children’s choir director, and seamstress.  She was born in Washington, DC on April 15, 1934 to Arthur & Alma Lewis.  In 1936, they moved to Oxford, MS, where her father spend his career at the University of Mississippi.  After graduating from University High School, she attended the University of Mississippi and Millsaps College.  Mary graduated from Ole Miss in 1956, and then received a Master’s degree in Sacred Music from Union Theological Seminary in New York City in 1958.  It was there that she met her husband, Frank (who was also working on his Masters in Sacred Music), and they were married on August 1, 1958.  Mary served with her husband at many of their appointments which included:  Lake Vista UMC, New Orleans (where she served as organist); West Market St. UMC in Greensboro, NC; First UMC in Alexandria, LA (where Mary again served as the organist); Floral Heights UMC, Wichita Falls, TX; 5 years in Nashville, TN while Frank was working on his PhD at Peabody College/Vanderbilt University (where she was organist at Scaritt College & The Chapel at Vanderbilt Divinity School); Bethel College in McKenzie, TN (where she served as the accompanist to the college choir); and First UMC, Baton Rouge, LA (where Mary served as organist, children’s choir director, and hand bell director.  
Mary is survived by her husband of 61 years, Frank; her wonderful children and their spouses – sons, Franklin (Amy) and Bryant (Shelli) and daughter, Helen Hale (Jason); and 10 grandchildren.