Mary E. Preston

SERVICES: 2:00 PM Thursday, December 29, 2011, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel, with Rev. Albert Maggard, pastor of First Pentecostal Holiness Church, and Rev. Scott Barton, pastor of Harvest Church of Perryton, officiating.BURIAL: Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.BIOGRAPHY: Mrs. Preston was born on April 20, 1924 in Commerce, Texas to Robert Lee and Susie Marie Chase, the third of eleven children. She married Fonnie M. Preston on June 29, 1940 in Paris, Texas. They moved to Pampa in 1951 and raised four children, with Mary supplementing the family income as a professional housekeeper. There was never a lack of situations to be found as Mary was by nature a perfectionist in cleanliness and tidiness, not to mention the speed with which she could get a task accomplished. She was a member of First Pentecostal Holiness Church where for several years she taught Sunday school classes for children. Mary loved the Lord and her family. She cherished life and the rewards of hard work. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two children, Robert Charles Preston and Mary Annette (Net) Barton-Elkins, five brothers, Erving, Robert, Jr., Gerald, Wiley and Buddy; and three sisters, Louise, Sue and Barbara Ann. She completed her life's journey on earth and entered her rest with her Lord and Savior, and she had long anticipated being reunited with her family.SURVIVORS: a son: Mark Preston and wife Rita of Pampa; a daughter: Joan Eccles and husband Larry of Pampa; a brother: Frank Chase and wife Laverne of Comanche; a sister: Diane Chase-Corcoran and husband Ray of Pampa; fourteen grandchildren, thirty-one great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law: Cassandra Preston of Amarillo; 5 sisters-in-law: Christine Walls of Dallas, Vera Preston of Paris, Texas, Maxcine Chase of Pampa, Elaine Lapp of Lakewood, Washington and Clara Chase of Claude; and many nieces and nephews.