Mary Dolline McLerran

Mary Dolline Myers McLerran, born June 12, 1931, in Fort Worth, Texas, to James Russell Myers and Mary Bertha Hope Myers, passed away on September 22, 2026. She lived a life defined by faith, service, perseverance, and love. Raised in Fort Worth and Stephenville, Texas, Mary grew up in what she often described as a money-poor but love-rich home, where family, hard work, and compassion shaped the woman she would become.

Mary graduated from Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth in 1949. Even as a young woman, she showed a generous and determined spirit. During high school, including her senior year at Hills Bakery in Fort Worth, she worked faithfully and saved her paychecks until she could buy a refrigerator for her mother. Her lifelong commitment to helping others began early through volunteer work at Dallas Children’s Hospital as a Pink Lady, where she especially loved caring for babies and formed a lasting friendship with a young patient who had endured great hardship.

Mary worked at the Convair Aircraft plant in Fort Worth, where she met and married Leslie Lortz, the father of her daughters. She was an active and devoted presence in her church and community, singing in the choir at Kirkwood United Methodist Church, directing a children’s choir when she saw the need, participating in the church bowling league, and supporting her daughters in school and activities.

Her compassion and entrepreneurial spirit came together when she founded “New Life” in 1971, a business through which she served as a certified prosthetic fitter for women who had undergone mastectomies. She also formed a breast cancer support group, creating a place of encouragement, dignity, and healing for women in need.

Mary’s energy and interests were as wide-ranging as her heart. In the 1990s and early 2000s, she owned more than a dozen thoroughbred racehorses and traveled throughout Texas and across the country on the horse racing circuit. She served on the board of the Texas Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Benevolence and Protective Association, where she helped oversee financial assistance and safety regulations within the Texas horse racing industry. It is fitting that the words chosen for her headstone say, “she ran her race,” a simple and powerful tribute to a woman who lived with purpose, courage, and endurance from start to finish.

In 2001, Mary married the love of her life, Olen McLerran. After Olen was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the couple moved to Fredericksburg, Mary once again saw a need and set out to meet it. With the help of friends, community leaders, and developers, she helped bring Morning Star Memory Care to Fredericksburg in 2007, along with a memory fountain in Olen’s honor. She also formed an Alzheimer’s support group in Fredericksburg, which continues to serve families today.

Mary moved to Grapevine in 2011, where she developed a love for NASCAR and attended races at Texas Motor Speedway. Through Facebook, she formed a dear friendship with Nance Burghardt, who connected her with Kasey Kahne, deepening Mary’s enjoyment of racing and creating another meaningful friendship in her life. During her years in Grapevine, she also bonded deeply with her caregivers and Meals on Wheels volunteers, who became an important part of her daily life. Her daughter, Lea Ann, lovingly cared for her needs, helping support Mary’s independence, connection, and longevity.

Mary had a special way of expressing gratitude through the cards she lovingly colored and gave to others as thank-yous. Over the years, she made hundreds of cards, each one a small offering of appreciation, encouragement, and love. In keeping with that generous spirit, Mary prepared cards in advance for her service, wanting to give one more card to the loved ones who meant so much to her.

She also made more than one hundred “fairy lights” to share with others, a beautiful symbol of what she spent her life doing: spreading light.

Above all, Mary loved being a grandmother and great-grandmother. Her grandchildren brought her tremendous joy, and she treasured every visit when they came to see her. Whether sharing stories, offering encouragement, giving advice, or simply enjoying time together, Mary made each grandchild feel deeply loved and important. In the same way she had cherished the bond with her grandmother, she poured love, hope, and belonging into her own grandchildren, creating memories that will remain a lasting part of the love she leaves behind.

Mary lived with purpose, and hope was at the center of her life in a deeply personal way. Her grandmother’s last name was Hope, and Mary filled her home with reminders of that word—not simply as decoration, but as a reflection of the faith, courage, and encouragement she carried into the lives of others. Even though she was hearing impaired, Mary found ways to stay connected, learning to read lips and adapting with determination so she could continue communicating with the people she loved. She had a remarkable gift for seeing what others needed and then going to work to provide it. Whether serving as a volunteer, caregiver, encourager, advocate, friend, mother figure, grandmother figure, or source of daily wisdom, she brought light wherever she went. She credited her long life to a loving family, being active, and staying connected with others. Her legacy of compassion, persistence, joy, service, and hope will continue to shine through all who knew and loved her.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Olen McLerran, twin brothers, Jesse Monroe Myers and James Russell Myers Jr., and her sister, Helen Marie Myers Butler. She is remembered with love by her daughters, Lea Ann Lortz Parsley and husband Richard, and Sharon Lortz Wahl and husband Kent; her grandchildren, Kristen Parsley Cole and husband Jordan, Daniel Parsley, Mitchell Wahl, and Aubrey Wahl; her great-grandchildren, Bentley, Jameson, and Ruby Cole; as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and countless friends whose lives she touched.

2 TIMOTHY 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Celebration of life service will be officiated by Ron Hobbs, Mary’s pastor and close friend. 

Service will be held on Saturday, September 26 at Lucas Funeral Home in Grapevine.

 Visitation starts at 9:00 am with service to follow at 10:00 am. 700 W. Wall Street Grapevine, TX 76051.

Burial will follow at East End Memorial Cemetery at 2:00 pm in Stephenville. 208 Morgan Mill Rd. Stephenville, TX 76401.