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Obit – Mrs. Mary Helen Wright Apple

Mrs. Mary Helen Wright Apple age 98 of Livingston, a homemaker and retired businesswoman, was found deceased at 9 a.m. Saturday morning September 28, 2020 at her home.

Funeral services were conducted by Jon Ledbetter and Chris Coil on Monday afternoon September 21st at 2 p.m. from the Livingston Church of Christ where she was a member and tireless worker in the programs and efforts of the congregation. Burial followed in the Apple-Wright family lot in the Garden of Gethsemane at Smith County Memorial Gardens.

Born Mary Helen Wright on April 12, 1922 on the family farm in the Lock Seven Community of Smith County, she was one of ten children, four daughters and six sons, of the late Robert Marion Wright who died at the age of 76 on July 6, 1954 and Lela Lemoine Reasonover Wright who died at the age of 85 on October 10, 1966.

The three sisters preceding her in death were Callie Naomi Wright who died January 29, 1902 at the age of 2, Minnie Irene Wright who died August 31, 1910 at the age of 10 and Gladys LaVerne Wright Austin who died December 2, 1988 at the age of 85 and six brothers, Jake Stephen Wright who died at the age of 62 on February 19, 1973, Horace Hale Wright Sr. who died at the age of 61 on January 21, 1975, Robert Marion (Rob) Wright Jr. who died at the age of 93 on February 1, 1999, Edward Carmack Wright who died at the age of 93 on March 23, 2001, Coleman Bryan Wright who died at the age of 92 on March 6, 2009 and Lillard Dewitt Wright Sr. who died at the age of 84 on June 18, 2011.

She was united in marriage to McClures Bend Community native Freeman Apple who died at the age of 68 on May 7, 1987.

Together they owned and operated the Freeman Apple Oil Co. in Livingston and the Mixon-Nollner Oil Companies in South Carthage and Lafayette until Mrs. Apple sold the Mixon-Nollner Distributorships to their son and daughter-in-law, Donnie and Rita Apple in 1989.

Mrs. Wright enjoyed flowers, gardening, her show horses, and cooking.

Her true love was her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

She mourned the loss of her son, Don Freeman (Donnie) Apple who died of a blood clot of the lung at the age of 65 on February 4, 2019.

Believed to be the last surviving member of the class of 1940 at Smith County High School, she had the nickname of “Tooty” and in her annual it said of her, “Honest labor bears a pretty face.”

She was a member of the Lee Society, was a member of the home economics and commercial clubs, secretary of her sophomore class, and a student council member her senior year and also Vice-President of the Girl Reserves.

She is survived by two daughters, Lamoine Apple Parsons and husband Buckie, Elaine Apple Long and husband Curtis all of Livingston, daughter-in-law, Rita Apple of the Tenglewood Community; ten grandchildren, Beth Parsons, Katie Bilbrey, Melissa Copeland, Buck Parson and wife Mary Ellen, Lela Long Davidson and husband Eddie, Curt Long and wife Connie, Carrie Long Loghry and husband Steve, Lori Apple-Gibbs and husband Elston, Amy Apple, and Makenzi Leigh Apple; twenty great-grandchildren, Jackson Parsons, Makynna Bilbrey, Katie Beth Bilbrey, Jayse Copeland and wife Shaima, Sydnie Copeland, Brody Parsons, Cale Parsons, Abilgail Davidson, Daniel Davidson, Anna Davidson, Josh Long and wife Alex, Olivia Long, Isaac Loghry, Dalton Longhry, Jaden Apple-Gibbs, Jakodi Apple-Gibbs, Ivee Apple-Gibbs, Aspen Apple-Gibbs, Apple Apple-Gibbs and Kaelyn Ward; three great-great-grandchildren, Memphis Everett Greenwood, Brentley Long and Lucy Long, sister-in-law, Joy Dillehay Wright of the Rome Community, several nieces and nephews.

This notice provided as a courtesy to the Apple family.

SANDERSON of CARTHAGE