OBITUARY FROM EVERLOVED.COM WEBSITE:
Mary Louise "Lou" Erwin, or Lou as Charles liked to call her, passed away peacefully on February 26, 2025, at the age of 94. Born on March 21, 1930, she was the only beloved child of Henry and Louise Theide. At just two years old, she lost her father in a tragic railroad accident, an early hardship that shaped her resilience and strength.
During her high school years in Hobart, Indiana, Mary Lou met Charles "Chuck" P. Erwin, the love of her life. To her, Chuck was not only the most handsome man she had ever met but also she would later joke, he was her ticket out of Hobart. They married on January 14, 1950, and soon moved to Washington, D.C., where Chuck served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps Band. One year later, on their first wedding anniversary, they welcomed their first son, Ron, followed by their second son, Randy, five years later. Mary Lou and Randy shared birthday months, something she always enjoyed.
They built their home in Oxon Hill, Maryland, where Mary Lou embraced her role as a devoted wife and mother. As the boys grew older, Mary Lou worked as a school secretary. Perfect for her as she was organized and meticulous. As Chuck’s career advanced, he was promoted to Conductor—eventually retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel—Mary Lou became the consummate hostess for the many social events his position required. She often said, "If you can read, you can cook," a philosophy she carried into her legendary hospitality. The only thing Chuck could not sway Lou on, was his love of ice cream.
Following Chuck’s retirement, they pursued their shared love of the water, first settling in Swan Point, Maryland, before building their forever home in Bay Colony, Delaware. They also pursued their shared second love, travel. Over the years they traveled the world and their travel of choice was cruising. Mary Lou's favorite destination was Greece, which they made sure to visit more than once. Her favorite hobby became creating photo books of all their travels.
Mary Lou is now reunited with Chuck after 72 years of marriage, who passed away on May 25, 2022. She will be buried alongside Chuck at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in Millsboro, DE She is lovingly remembered by her sons, Ron Erwin (Robyn) and Randy Erwin (Sandra); her grandchildren, Sean Erwin (Kim), Seth Erwin, and Heather Harris (Billy); and her great-grandchildren, Kelly, Taylor, Luke, and Angelo.
A woman of grace and grit, Mary Lou was both traditional and feisty—a true class act. Her memory and traditions will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
"Hope you're proud of what you see as you watch us with the angels." - Alex Warren
This information was obtained from: https://everloved.com/life-of/mary-louise-erwin/obituary/. The picture above was obtained from the 1948 HHS Brick-Art yearbook, made available by the Lake County Public Library, at: https://archive.org/details/brick-art-1948-images/.
