Mary Lou Bess

Mary Lou Bess, 88, of Jackson passed away Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

She was born March 30, 1936, in Gordonville, daughter of Elliott Franklin and Irene Edna Quade Clingingsmith. She and Cramer Bess were married June 18, 1954. They were married for 45 years when he passed away Jan. 24, 2000.

Mary Lou was a graduate of Jackson High School. She worked for Jackson Hosiery Mill in Jackson, Prince Gardner in St. Mary’s and Thorngate in Cape Girardeau. Mary Lou was a member Perryville Methodist Church, she enjoyed attending other local churches, including Cape County Cowboy Church. She was a member of Order of Eastern Star and Red Hat Society. Mary Lou was a Kansas City Chiefs fan. She loved horses, flowers and growing peppers, tomatoes and lettuce in her garden.

Loving survivors include her four children, Kathy (Stanley Christisen) Kutz of Sikeston; Richard Bess of Hendersonville, Nevada; James (Debbie Falk) Bess of Uniontown; and Edna (Linda Coffman) Decker of Oak Ridge; grandchildren, Ashley Harr, Adam (Lacey) Decker and Natasha Bess; four great-grandchildren, Trevor and Jacob Harr and Dalton and Wade Decker; stepgrandchildren, Jason and Shawn Morris; and great-stepgrandchildren, Ryder and McKayla Moore and Paxton, Shad and Brooke Schuessler.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and a brother, Jessie Lee Clingingsmith.

The visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday, Feb. 22, at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The Rev. Jimmie Corbin will conduct the funeral at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

The family suggests contributions be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by clicking on the tribute wall tab above Mary Lou’s obituary at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.