Mary Stoops

Mary Lou was born May 28, 1931, to Art Patterson and Hazel Murphy Patterson in Parker, Washington. Mary Lou peacefully passed away on April 28, 2013, surrounded by her loved ones. Mary Lou married the love of her life, Fredrick Stoops, on Christmas Eve sixty-four years ago in 1948. They met while ice skating on a duck pond at Satus. She is survived by her husband and their three children: John Stoops, PhD, his wife Sandra Gassner Stoops, and their three children, Hans, Gretchen, and Kyrsten, MD; Jane Stoops Smith and her husband Victor Smith; Julie Linde Stoops and her daughter Diana; and recently three additions to the family, great-grandchildren Kadin, Pasha, and Beatrice, and one on the way. She is also survived by all of her special and cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors. Mary Lou’s life was dedicated to her husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and all of her extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents and her three brothers, Baby John, Lynn Patterson, her most adored brother, Don Patterson, and her sister, Virginia Clem. Mary Lou was an amazing woman. Stylish, animated, intelligent, creative, and humorous - she will remain in all of our hearts forever for the love she shared so generously. Love was her foundation, her very essence throughout her life, and we have been abundantly blessed by it. Mary Lou and family want to extend a personal thank you to our dear friend Linda. Donations in her memory may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation (1501 NW 9th Avenue/Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136-1494) or Memorial Hospice’s Cottage in the Meadow, Yakima. A memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Online condolences can be made at www.valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary Stoops, please visit our flower store.