Mary Jane Elizabeth Reese Rudisill was born on October 7, 1932. Mary (Sis, Mom, and Mamaw) died on July 10, 2024, at 91.

Mary was a loving and multi-talented lady who died with strength and grace in the same way that she lived her life. On Saturday, upon learning that she did not have much time left, her strong Christian faith prompted her to respond it was “her time” and that she “was ready to go be with her husband, Joe.”

Born during the Depression, Mary became an incredible cook, seamstress, master gardener, wife and mother.  She shared stories with her children of cooking at a very young age by standing on an empty banana crate to reach the stove. In a different era, Mary would have been a great educator, chef or management executive.

Mary and her husband Joe met through mutual friends. Typical Joe, he dragged his feet before proposing until his brother Max told Joe that he better marry that girl. One evening while driving to a friend’s wedding, Joe told Mary there was something in the car glove box for her. And as they say, the rest is history.

After they were married, Joe travelled for work and Mary went with him. Mary had fond memories of their lives in Berea, Kentucky and New Orleans.

After they started having children and with Joe often travelling for work, Mary managed and raised a household of five children. Before dryers and dishwashers, Mary cooked three meals a day, washed and line hung loads of clothes, helped plant two gardens, and canned and froze vegetables all summer; all the while ensuring that her children attended school each day and that for each holiday, the children and Joe were clothed in new outfits that she had crafted.

Mary remained very engaged outside of her family throughout her life. After her children were all in school, Mary worked for several years as a Deputy Registrar at the Catawba County Register of Deeds. She was very supportive of her church all her life being a consistent presence at all of the chicken pie and dumpling dinners and other events. Mary was an active member of the United Methodist Women, Republican Women, and Order of the Eastern Star. Mary also volunteered at Carolina Caring, the Catawba County Hospice, and The Corner Table. When one of her friends was sick or someone died, Mary was the first to appear with her famous meatloaf, fried chicken, apple pie, or pound cake.

When she had the opportunity, she loved to travel. Mary travelled with one or more of her children to Denver, Aspen, Colorado Springs, San Francisco, Seattle, Yellowstone, Cheyenne, New Orleans, Lake Tahoe, Vermont, Maine, Victoria, Vancouver, Tampa, Spain and Italy. Before Joe died, Mary and Joe went to Italy with Cathy, Lisa, Donna and granddaughter Mary to revisit the locations in which Joe was stationed during WWII.  During that trip, they connected with a local family in Livorno, Italy who thanked Joe for his service and invited them over for coffee. Mary said that was one of her fondest life memories.

Before she died, Mary said that her most valued accomplished was raising her five children, Nancy, Cathy, Lisa, Donna and Steven, and getting to experience having her five grandchildren, Courtney, Nathan, Max, Mary and Nolan. Mary said if she had her life to live over, she would spend more time expressing her love to her children and grandchildren. She wants her children to remember her for always loving them and the joy she felt in cooking for them.

Mary was predeceased in life by the “love of her life”, her husband, Joe Harlin Rudisill; her parents, John Labon Reese Sr. and Fern Marie Granger Reese; her brothers, John L. Reese Jr., Richard G. Reese, Kenneth B. Reese, Joseph E. Reese; her sister, Alice Reese Houston; and her first-born son, Michael Eugene Rudisill.

Mary is survived by her five children, Nancy Rudisill Cheek (Robert L. Cheek), Cathy Marie Rudisill, Lisa Ann Rudisill, Donna Evelyn Rudisill and Steven Joe Rudisill (Beth Poovey Rudisill); her five grandchildren, Courtney L. Cheek, Nathan Alexander Cheek (Kathryn Callari), William Maxwell (Max) Bigelow, Mary Catherine Bigelow (her Mamaw’s namesake), Nolan Reese Rudisill; and dear friend, Elaine Martin.

Mary wanted to send a special thank you to her medical team Dan Anderson MD, Garland Hughes MD, Sara Paul NP, Heather Ward RN, Cynthia Ferguson MOA; and to her caregivers, Reekah Mooneyham and Dokie Ramseur.

A service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held on Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 4 p.m. at First Methodist Church in Conover. Pastor John Woods and Pastor Gary Royals will officiate. Burial will follow at Center Methodist Church Cemetery in Catawba. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 2 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at First Methodist Church.

Those serving as pallbearers are Jimmie Beal, Mitchell Bumgarner, David Caldwell, Donald Farley, Ralph Hatch, Garland Hughes, Alton Rudisill, and Danny Setzer. Honorary pallbearers will be Elaine Martin, Michelle Cloninger, Betty London, Margie Holder, Diane Propst, Rhea Swift, Rosemary Ballard, Sharon Little, Linda Sigmon, Bernice Drum, Linda Birchfield, Tina Cloninger, Phyllis Howard, Dokie Ramseur, and Reekah Mooneyham.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Carolina Caring, Newton, NC or First United Methodist Church in Conover.

Condolences may be sent to the Rudisill family at www.bennettfuneralservice.com

Bennett Funeral Service of Newton, N.C. is serving the Rudisill family.