Mary M.

Whitehead

Mary Marlene Whitehead, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, friend, minister, and woman of unwavering strength, passed away peacefully on September 24, 2026, at the age of 89.

Mary was born on March 3, 1937, in Farmington, Missouri, to Rose and Merle McFall. Although her life took her many places, she spent the majority of her years in San Diego, California. She also lived for periods of time in Missouri and Florida before making Corpus Christi, Texas, her home in 2008. She remained there for the rest of her life, becoming a cherished part of the community and the lives of so many who knew her.

Mary devoted 33 years of her life to working for the Department of the Navy. She was also an ordained minister in San Diego, California, and continued to nurture her faith throughout her life. In Corpus Christi, she was an active and beloved member of Unity by the Sea, where her faith and love for others continued to shine.

Above all else, Mary was a caretaker. She thrived on being there for her family and found great joy in caring for her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She gave generations of her family not only her time and attention, but also her wisdom, her laughter, and the life lessons she was always ready to share.

Mary loved to laugh. She loved gardening, reading, learning, and spending time with the cocker spaniels that held a very special place in her heart. Her dogs were more than pets—they were family and lifelong companions. She had a curious mind and a lifelong love of learning, always finding something new to read, discover, or teach.

Those who knew Mary will remember a woman who lived a very full and successful life. She was strong, independent, generous, and deeply devoted to the people she loved. She had a way of making her presence known, and her lessons, stories, laughter, and love will remain with the generations who were fortunate enough to know her.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Rose and Merle McFall; her sister Barbara Lambert; her brother Robert Jay “Bobbie Jay” McFall; her sister Marcy; her brother Marvin D. McFall; her son Michael Bryant; and her great-great-granddaughter Irina Saphira Campos.

She leaves behind her daughter, Sherry Jean Harger; granddaughter, Janet Michele Dorn; great-granddaughters Taylor Cateline Boykin and Vallissa June Frieze; great-grandson Devlin Eugene Frieze; and great-great-granddaughters Aria Ever Shaffer and Aleah Amaris Shaffer. She also leaves behind many beloved friends whose lives were made richer by knowing her.

Mary's family was the center of her world, but her love extended far beyond those connected to her by blood. She had a gift for making people feel cared for, for offering a lesson when one was needed, and for finding something to laugh about even along life's difficult roads.

She lived 89 years filled with work, faith, family, learning, laughter, and love. She leaves behind a legacy that will continue through every generation she touched.

Mary will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever carried in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.