Mary Lou Redish

Mary Lou Wright Redish, 86 of Valdosta was called home by her Lord and Savior on September 3rd, 2025, surrounded by her family at home. She was born at home in Cook County on March 11, 1939 to the late Grace Brown Wright and Emmett Franklin Wright. She was preceded in death by her husband Wilburn Redish, her sister Sue Wright Gay of Meridian, MS and her brother Franklin Brown Wright of Columbus, GA. She has one surviving sister, Ann Wright Blake of Chattanooga, TN. She graduated from Valdosta High School in 1957 and was a proud member of the Valdosta High School Marching Cats where she played the trumpet. She married the love of her life, Wilburn Redish in 1957 and they were married for 54 years. Mary Lou’s faith was the centerpiece of her life, as she was saved at a very young age. Simply put, Mary Lou loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Her love of Jesus was exhibited in her home and where ever she went. She was a faithful member of Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta for 61 years. In her many capacities at Northside, she was involved in many ministries there including serving on the Benevolence, Flower, Kitchen, Nursery, and Hospitality committees as well as volunteering for Vacation Bible School. She loved her dear friends in her Sunday School class, and enjoyed the many outings they had together. She made sure her family was at Northside every time the Church was open, which is a great testimony to her faith, as her late husband, all of her children, grandchildren, and so far three of her eight great-grandchildren have been saved.

Mary Lou was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker to her family. She loved spending time with them and taking care of them and that is evidenced by her endless work ethic as she took care of them by not only being an excellent cook who would always have three meals prepared every day, but she was also a great seamstress. There was not anything that she could not cook, bake, or make. Her children fondly remember coming home from school every day to a homemade treat of chocolate chip cookies, brownies, cakes, or pies. Also, almost every night after everyone went to bed, she would stay up for hours on a Singer sewing machine making clothing for her family. Later in life along with her late husband, they opened a small home based part-time business called “Redish Frames-n-Things” where they framed many pictures, photographs, and works of art for many people in the Valdosta and surrounding areas. She also loved the times she spent with her family out camping, boating, and water skiing. Mary Lou was a great skier who could easily slalom ski and taught her family how to as well. She loved the beach and her many, many “girl-only beach trips” she went on with family and dear friends for many years. Later in life, Mary Lou began playing golf and became an avid golfer who enjoyed her many Ladies Day Tuesday’s, playing golf with her friends at the Valdosta Country Club. She would also enjoy her time on Saturday afternoons playing golf with her late husband. To this day, she is the only one in her family to have ever made a hole-in-one.

Mary Lou loved her family. She is survived by her three children: Robin (Barry) Vaughn of Dothan, AL, Kristin Redish Pope of Valdosta, and Lee Redish of Valdosta. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and she cherished the time spent with them and they all loved her very much. She is survived by her grandchildren: Alden (Jacob) Dellinger of Kathleen, GA, Katlyn (Ashley) Jackson of Hartford, AL, Brooks (Cortney) Pope of Thomasville, GA, and Haley (Kyle) Hancock of Canton, MS, along with her great-grandchildren: Harper, Hendley, and Maddox Dellinger, Millie Kate and Charleigh Jackson, Tripp Pope, and Banks and Briggs Hancock. She always made birthdays and holidays special for them, her favorite being Christmas. She would decorate her home with many cherished Christmas decorations inside and out making them all look forward to Christmas at GG’s house and her “famous Christmas cookies” that she would love to bake and decorate with all of them. Mary Lou also enjoyed having them over for holidays and weekends in the summer to swim in GG’s pool.

The family would like to make a special mention to her Sunday School class at Northside Baptist Church as well as a big thank you to all those Church members and friends who have reached out to the family with prayers and support. Also, the family would like to recognize the help and support from Hospice of South Georgia. 

A visitation for Mary Lou will be held at Carson McLane Funeral Home on Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 10:00-11:00 AM followed by the funeral service at 11 AM officiated by Dr Robby Foster, Senior Pastor of Northside Baptist Church. Flowers are welcome, but if you are led to make a donation, the family request that donations be made to Northside Baptist Church Building Fund.

Carson McLane Funeral Home is honored to serve the Redish Family.