Mary Eleanore (Coates Smallwood) Lyles, 84 of La Plata, Maryland.

January 02, 1935 – July 16, 2019

Mary Eleanore Lyles, 84, of La Plata, Maryland, transitioned to eternal life on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Clinton, Maryland.  She was born, January 02, 1935, in Hughesville, Maryland to the late Grant Lee Butler and Gertrude Ann Shorter Coates, and was baptized in the Catholic faith. During her younger years, she was a parishioner at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Bryantown, Maryland and later transferred with her family to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, La Plata, Maryland. Mary married the late Frederick Archie Dell Lyles (Freddy) in 1954, and shared 59 joyful years together until his death in 2013.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her stepfather, James Arthur Smallwood; her daughter, Wanda Lyles; siblings, Benjamin Coates, Shirley Spriggs, and Anna Hurd; son-in-law, Randy Perrin; In-laws, Francis Spriggs, James Hurd, Dorothy Wheeler (Francis), James Lyles (Mary Helen), Mary Douglas (Bill), Randolph Lyles, and  Jeremiah Mason.

She is survived by her children - Gertrude 'Trudy', Leroy 'Sonny', Mary 'Tina' Perrin, Sussie Lee (Eric), Frederick Archie 'Bud', and Yola; 10 additional children - John Bean, Michael Bean, Jeffery Williams, Mary Rita Lyles, Inez Wells, Gloria Campbell, Lasata Brown Ball, Butch Chesley, Joy Butler, and Bruce Fitzgerald; Grandchildren - Joseph Dorsey, Derrick Perrin, Eric Lee Jr, Jerrold Lee, Andrew Lee, Jonathan Lyles, and Ashley Lyles; 15 great grandchildren; In-laws, Mary Veronica Coates, Leroy Lyles, Mamie Mason, Lawrence Lyles, Jerome Lyles (Frances), Barbara Lyles, and Loretta Coombs; special friends, Cheryl Lyles and Julian 'JC' Carroll and a host of family and friends.

Mary was educated in the Charles County Public School System and by the religious sisters at St Mary's Catholic School. After her children were grown, she obtained her high school diploma from the Charles County Evening High School (1988) and attended Charles County Community College (swimming, piano lesson, accounting). Education was very important to Mary.

Mary worked as a private housekeeper, a childcare worker, TriCounty community aide, and a cook at several local restaurants. She retired from cooking at Charles County Detention Center and went into catering business. Mary also was a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant and a member of the Knights of St John Ladies' Auxiliary. One of Mary's proudest moments was attending the March on Washington that took place on August 28, 1963 with her mother.

After her retirement, she enjoyed traveling (32 states, Canada, and the Bahamas), visiting casinos with family, attending family reunions, reading romance novels, and loved playing the state lottery. She always had a number for you to play. She made her house a haven for family cookouts, celebrations, and social gatherings. Mary considered herself the Queen Bee of the Lyles household.

Viewing, 6:00 pm until 9:00 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2019 in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640 and on Saturday, July 27, 2019 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 201 St. Mary's Avenue, La Plata, Maryland 20646. Viewing 11:00 a.m., Mass of Christian Burial, 12:00 noon.  Interment, Church Cemetery.