Mary Louise Southworth
Mary Louise Southworth
January 7, 1925 to October 31, 2011
Mary Lou was born in Santa Monica to Harold and Louise Hart. The family moved to Glendale in 1937 where she graduated with honors from Hoover High School. She attended Occidental College and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and served as President of the Women’s Association, and graduated in 1945 with a B.A. in History. She attended one more year to complete her teaching certificate. She was a junior high English teacher until she started a family. In 1947 she married Edward (Ted) Southworth and they raised four children. They were active in the Glendale First United Methodist Church where they were members of the Christian Partners class.
Mary Lou’s passions were family, education, and peace and justice issues. She was a full time volunteer and active in many organizations including P.E.O., Mortarboard, American Field Service, United Methodist Women, League of Women Voters, United Nations Association, Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and Church Women United.
She was excellent in planning fundraising events and loved to organize family and alumni reunions, often doing the cooking, too. Her extensive correspondence was responsible for 90 alumni attending her 65th high school reunion!
Mary Lou was an avid reader and was committed to life-long learning. She loved public speaking and gave talks about Glendale, the United Nations, her travels, and book reviews.
Mary Lou leaves her siblings Warren Hart of Atascadero, Joy Knapp of Santa Barbara; children Melinda Jones (husband Jim), Susan Holway (husband Dennis), Park Southworth (wife Janna) of La Verne, Steve Southworth (wife Dawn) of La Crescenta.
She leaves six grandchildren: Todd (wife Joni) and Blake Holway, Jessica Peoples (husband Jeff), Becky Besheer (husband Jerred), and Corbin and Liam Southworth; and two great-grandchildren, June and Joy Peoples.