Mary Lou Heaslet was born on August 22, 1932 in Mansfield, MO the daughter of Issac Elmer and Laura Vietta (Wells) Rushing.  Mary gained her heavenly wings on June 21, 2025 at Cedarhurst Assisted Living in Lebanon at the age of 92 years 9 months and 29 days, where some recognized her as "Queen Mary" and a door sign that read "Headquarters"! She definitely continued to share her knowledge and wit with everyone there.

Mary was raised in Mansfield where she attended Antioch school. She shared many memories of her and her sister walking home from school with a special friend nicknamed, "high pockets", from playing in the creek to stopping by the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead for a cookie.

Opportunity arose for the family to move to Washington. After a short time in Washington, she moved to California meeting the love of her life, Herschel.  On March 11, 1949 she was united in marriage to Herschel Eugene Heaslet in Grover City, CA and to this union two children were born, Garry and Shera.

Mary could often be found tending to her children or working with Herschel at their business, Big H Auto Distribution, their dairy farm or their dry cleaning business.  She also enjoyed fishing, camping, biking, baking and sewing. Aside from working Mary could be found traveling with her family where they enjoyed countless sceneries and shared many memories with her family.

Herschel and Mary attended The Church of Christ in Turlock, CA, where they were both saved and baptized as young adults. In 1991, Herschel and Mary moved their entire family to Missouri where they continued their faith at the Maness Memorial Baptist Church in Cabool, MO. Retirement for them meant buying another farm and raising their beloved grandson, Kevin. While teaching him the way of life you could often catch them running to town handling farm business.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Herschel; her son, Garry and wife, Rebekah; daughter, Shera and husband, Rick; granddaughter, Tonya Lansdown; two great great grandchildren Bailey and Aditya and all of her siblings.  She is survived by Ladonna Winchester and husband, Jack of Lebanon MO, Tammy Stidham of Cabool, MO, Kenny Lansdown of Hartville, MO, Christina Parsons and husband, Steven of Lynchburg, MO, Rochelle Sweatt and husband, Tony of Cabool, MO, Ricky Travis and Shand Olson; 18 great grandchildren, 45 great great grandchildern as well as a host of relatives and friends.  The family would like to thank Jason Blackwelder and family and Sarah and Suzanne of Cedarhurst for loving her like their own.