Mary Lou Coyner

On November 20th Mary Lou Coyner passed on peacefully at Memorial Hospital in Yakima Washington. Mary Lou was born to Lois (Hobbs) and Harry Earl (Pat) Coyner on April 12, 1951, in Havre Montana, the second of their two daughters. Mary Lou was raised in Chinook Montana through age 12, when the family moved to Havre, Montana. At age 16 they moved to Toppenish Washington. She graduated from Toppenish High School and attended Yakima Valley College. Mary Lou was a lifelong Lutheran, most recently at Faith Lutheran, Toppenish. She served as an assisting minister, and taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible school. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, and served a term as President. She received several awards for her service to this organization. During summers in high school and college Mary Lou worked in Toppenish restaurants. Her favorite was the Branding Iron. After college, she worked at the Toppenish Review Newspaper as a typist. Mary Lou began a 30-year career December 7, 1970. Her first job was Secretary for the Safety Division of Labor and Industries. During this time, she was selected as one of only two secretaries from Eastern Washington to each year attend the Governor's Safety Conference. After seven years she was promoted to Administrative Assistant to the Administrator of the Toppenish office of the Department of Social and Health Services. During the following twenty-three years, her position was upgraded several times. At Retirement she was serving as the Human Resource Coordinator/ Counselor for Toppenish, Wapato, Sunnyside and Grandview Offices. Retirement came January 1, 2001. Traveling was Mary Lou's favorite hobby. She and her mother took many wonderful and memorable trips to visit family in Montana, to St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Hawaii, and cruises to Alaska, and through the Panama Canal. Mary Lou also served as a tour guide for many Yakima Senior Citizens' trips. She found this a most gratifying and pleasant position of service. Preceding her in death are her Mother and Father, all grandparents, aunts and uncles and several cousins. Surviving are: LaRayne, her sister, and Leo Rowland of Hillsboro, OR; three nephews and their families: Craig and Tiffany Mercer Island WA, Brian and Tina Hillsboro Or, and Paul Hillsboro, OR. Also ten Great Nieces and Nephews: Jazzlyn, Fenway, Camden, Brooklyn, of Mercer Island and Emma, Eva, and Joel of Hillsboro, Or. A visitation for Mary will be held Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Keith & Keith Funeral Home, 902 West Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98902. A graveside service will occur Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 2:20 PM at Terrace Heights Memorial Park, 3001 Terrace Heights Dr, Yakima, WA 98901. A celebration of life will occur Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, 902 West Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98902.

Mary Lou Coyner

April 12, 1951 - November 20, 2024