Mary Lois Kirkland

Mary Lois Kirkland, 86, a long time resident of Gatesville, passed away on Sunday, January 30th. Her defenses against cancer were successful for 16 years. Visitation with friends and family will be Friday, February 4th, from 6-8:00 at Scott’s Funeral Home in Gatesville. Services to honor Mary Lois and celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, February 5th at 10:30 a.m., officiated by Rev. Chris Harrison of Georgetown. She will be laid to eternal rest within the Kirkland family plot of the Mart, Texas cemetery during a private service. She was born Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1924, in Fort Worth to Oscar “Dan” Peeler McAnally and Lois Dema McAnally. After being crowned “Miss Monahans” and graduating from Monahans High School in 1942, she married USAF Lt. D.G. Kirkland, of Mart, Texas. Prior to her husband’s death in 1987, Mary Lois was his partner for central Texas farming and ranching, at both Mart and Troy. In west Texas ranching, they raised Charolais cattle at Water Valley. She was also co-owner of Duffy’s Photo Finishing Services, Inc. and co-builder and proprietor of the “Altura Towers” high-rise apartment building in Lubbock. She was a business woman at heart and thoroughly enjoyed “The Wall Street Journal” newspaper. Mary Lois is survived by her daughter, Lois (“Cissy”) Jenison and husband, Kip, of Georgetown; 2 granddaughters: Michele Hernandez and husband David, of Coppell, Danielle Prince of Corpus Christi; 6 great-grandchildren: Zac, Dylan, and Isabelle Hernandez of Coppell; Ashley Edwards and Mason Prince of Corpus Christi, and Zoe Bradley of San Antonio. She is also survived by one of two brothers, Angelo McAnally, and Pat, of Monahans, Texas, and her sister, Maureen(“Mugg”) Botkin and husband, Lee, of Farmington, New Mexico. In lieu of flowers it is requested that donations be sent in honor of Mary Lois (McAnally) Kirkland and in memory of the “Odd Fellow and Rebekah Children’s Home” of Corsicana, Texas at the following address: Grand Lodge I.O.O.F. Of Texas, 3324 West Second Avenue, Corsicana, Texas 75110.