Mary Lou Black

Mary Lou Black, 90, died Sunday, May 26, 2013 at Burke Palliative Care Center. She was born in Burke County, NC on December 7, 1922 and was the daughter of the late Walter Stephens and Nisha Ross Stephens. Mary Lou was a member of First Baptist Church of Glen Alpine. She was retired from the North Carolina School for the Deaf and enjoyed doll making, arts and crafts, flower arranging, and cooking for her family.Mary Lou is survived by son, Steve Black and wife, Tish of LaGrange, GA; daughter, Olivia Ann Byrd and husband, Royce of Glen Alpine; half sister, Mary Alice Walker of Kings Mountain, NC; and grandchildren, Lee Byrd of Cherokee, NC, Jonathan Byrd and wife, Sheree of Connelly Springs, NC, Taylor Black and wife Sheryl and their daughter, Katelyn of Nashville, TN, and Allison Black of Boulder, CO.In addition to her parents, Mary Lou was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Harold Black; brother, Herbert Stephens; sister, Neta Bowers, and a half brother, W. C. Stephens.The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 29, 2013 at First Baptist Church of Glen Alpine with Rev. Michael Brown and Chaplain Ted Swann officiating. Burial will follow at Glen Alpine Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690. Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with arrangements.