Mary Lou Orr, 73, of Pittsburg, KS, went home to be with Jesus at 2:15 a.m. Saturday, June 3, 2023 at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
She was born September 10, 1949 in Odessa, Missouri, the daughter of John Boone and Dorothy Ferne (Hellums) Graham. She graduated from Odessa High in 1967. She attended KUMC in 1968 until she got married.
On January 17, 1969, she was united in marriage to Patrick Orr in Odessa, Missouri. Mary Lou started her nursing career as an LPN in 1972 and worked in nursing while moving around the country with her husband during his military service. In 1991, she got her degree as an RN from Labette Community College. After moving to Pittsburg, she worked for Mt. Carmel Home Care as a Home Care Provider until she retired in 2012 after 40 years of nursing. Mary Lou was loved by her patients for her personality and the caring ways she treated each patient. Following her retirement as a Home Care Provider, she became an Adjunct Instructor at Ft. Scott Community College.
Membership was held in the Open Door Fellowship Church and the American Legion Auxiliary Post No. 394. Mary Lou loved her family and was very proud of all their accomplishments.
In addition to her husband, Patrick, she is survived by two daughters, Dondi Watson of Pittsburg and Rindy Orcutt (Rick) of Rush, CO; four grandchildren, Autumn Pennington (Josh), Micah Orcutt, Brandi Inoa (Criss) and James Watson; and one great-grandchild, Phoenix Pennington; and six step-sisters.
She was preceded in death by her father, John Boone Graham; her mother, Dorothy Ferne Graham Knutson; two grandchildren, Mikie Cook, Jr. and David Watson, Jr.; and one step-sister.
A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 13, at the Open Door Fellowship Church, with Pastor Don Talent officiating. Burial will follow at the National Cemetery in Ft. Scott, Kansas at 1:30 p.m. The family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, June 12, at the Brenner Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorials to the Open Door Fellowship Church. These may be left at or mailed to the Brenner Mortuary, 114 E. 4th St., Pittsburg, KS 66762.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg.
