Mary Lou Socher

Mary Lou (Chekan) Socher died Friday January 21st, in Beaumont, Texas. Services will be held at a later date.

Mary Lou was born on January 5, 1932, to John and Ann Chekan in Trauger Pennsylvania. She was born a coal miner’s daughter and grew up with her five brothers and two sisters in Calumet, Pennsylvania. As a young woman, Mary Lou ignored the height requirement and was selected to become a flight attendant for Capital Airlines, a forerunner to United Airlines. Some of her favorite assignments were charters for several NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts.

During this time, Mary Lou attended a dance and met a young veteran, Don Socher. Sparks flew and romance ensued. Don and Mary Lou were married October 21, 1955 – three children came along: Sue, Sally and Steve.

In 1974, the family relocated to Houston. While not natives, the family quickly became proud Texans, attending rodeos, concerts, other cultural events, and lovers of Tex-Mex and Barbeque. Mary Lou never met a recipe she didn’t like and loved to serve her family and friends.

Don and Mary Lou eventually settled in The Woodlands, where they lived for over 20 years. They made many deep and abiding friendships during these years. Mary Lou worked at Interfaith, which assisted people who needed assistance with housing and other basic needs. Mary Lou’s love for people made the job a perfect fit for her.

In 2012, Mary Lou and Don moved to Beaumont, to be closer to family. At the t ime of her death, Mary Lou was a resident of the Calder Woods Retirement Community.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Donald. Daughters Sue Fowler (Dave) of Austin, TX, and Sally Luttrell (Richard) of Richardson, Texas, and a son, Steve, (Claire) of Beaumont, three grandchildren, Karen Fowler of Austin, Warren Socher     of Brooklyn, New York and Owen Socher of Galveston Texas. She is also survived by a brother, Joe Chekan of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and numerous nieces and nephews.