Mary Louise Lisota

Mary Louise Meldum Lisota, age 77, passed away peacefully on June 28th, 2019 in her home in Afton, Wyoming surrounded by her family.

Mary was the second child born to Franklin DeVoe Meldrum and Eva LaMar Marshall. She was born on January 16, 1942 in the old Afton Hospital located above the Afton Post Office. Her dad, Dee, was the general manager of Gephart Stores, a local mercantile store in downtown Afton. Her mother was an English teacher at Star Valley High School. She is survived by her sister, Laura LaDee Meldrum Andersen.

Mary graduated from Star Valley High School in 1959 and received a scholarship to the University of Wyoming where she majored in Secondary Education. During her senior year, she met and married Ed Lisota from Patterson, California who was attending the University on an Air Force scholarship. They were married in Afton on June 4, 1963 and again in the Salt Lake Temple on 1 June 1964. Together, they had four children, Robert, Laurie, Marshall and Tyresha. 

For sixteen years, while in the Air Force, they lived in Texas, Germany, California and Washington State then finally settled in Afton.

During her early years, she had a red filly horse named Scarlet. Together they enjoyed the freedom of the hills east of Afton. In addition, she spent many hours hunting and fishing with her mom & dad.

At age 17, she was called as a chorister by Bishop Moser and continued as a chorister up until just recently. Her favorite job was that of a Primary chorister.

Later in life, she became an aide in the Afton Elementary Library where she frequently mentioned she was part of “a miracle” helping the students learn to appreciate the joys of reading good books.

She obtained a Masters in Guidance and Counseling degree from Washington State University.

She recently completed four and ½ years as a Church Work Service Missionary working with the Family Tree genealogy program.

Mary was preceded in death by her son, Marshall, and both parents. She is survived by her husband, Ed, her son, Robert and two daughters, Laurie and Tyresha. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held in the Afton First Ward starting at 12 Noon followed by the burial at the Afton Cemetery at 1 pm on July 6th, 2019.