Mary "Louise" Whitley Lewis

Mary Louise Whitley Lewis, 83, departed peacefully surrounded by family on November 8, 2023 following an extended battle with lung disease.

Louise leaves behind a legacy of love. In addition to raising her own children, Louise opened her home creating a hub of laughter and safety to countless children spanning the decades. Her stern, but warm, demeanor demonstrated an unparalleled gift for making every child feel seen and cherished.

She lived a life of creativity. Louise started sewing as a young child using scraps of fabric to hand sew doll clothes. She spent her time creating via sewing, quilting, cooking, painting, and crafting of all sorts. Her pride was in picking the perfect thread to match the fabric or perfect dessert to match the occasion. Her handiwork will be cherished for generations to come.

Louise was preceded in death by husbands, William Whitley and Basco Lewis; her parents, Ronie Earl and Cleorah Bunn; her siblings, Ronie “Jake” Bunn, Mae Taylor, Ellis Bunn, Ruby Hopkins, Cordell Bunn, Elsie Draper, Lucille Wilder, William Henry Roosevelt Bunn, and Shelby Jean Winstead.

She is survived by her sons, Ronnie Whitley and Bobby Whitley; daughters, Vera Denton (Carl Wayne) and Tami Pridgen; grandchildren, Brad, Angie, Zane (Amanda), Devin (Brenda), Sean (Kylene), Lee, Drew, and Carly; great-grandchildren, Hailey, Kalin, Austin, Anderson, Autumn, Bella, Lilly, Xander, Katie, and Bentley; great-great-grandson, Eli; sister, Pauline Burnett; sisters-in-law, Joyce Eatmon and Faye Whitley; as well as many wonderful nieces and nephews. 

Visitation with the family will be Saturday, November 11 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson.  A graveside service will be held Sunday, November 12 at 2:00 pm at Bailey Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mulligans Fore Kids, PO Box 3413, Wilson, NC 27895.

Condolences directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home and Crematory at www.joyners.net.