Mary Lucy Artis, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday October 23, 2026, at Medical City of Arlington, Texas.
Mary was born on October 3, 1954, in Cotton Tree Community, Margibi, Liberia, West Africa. Mary was born onto the union of Mr. John Artis and Mrs. Dokon Artis. She was one of 4 children from her mom and dad. She lived a life marked by kindness, generosity, and a deep love for her family.
Mary attended primary school in the Cotton Tree Community in Margibi County.
Mary’s father, a well-known mechanic, gave her to Mr. Jimmy Smith and Mrs. Janet Clinton-Smith to live with them. Mr. Jimmy Smith and his wife Janet lived in Kakata, Margibi County and so there is where Mary spent her early childhood years. There she attended elementary school and later enrolled at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, Margibi County, Liberia, and obtained a certificate in Home Economics.
Upon graduation, she moved to Monrovia and was hired at the JFK Hospital as a Head of the Dietary Department where she worked for many years.
As a Dietician in her early career and head of the dietary department at JFK, Mary encouraged generations of children and adults to approach the world with curiosity and confidence. To try new things and experiment with new recipes.
Mary finds joy baking, and gathering loved ones around her kitchen table. She had a gift for making people feel welcome, remembering the little things that mattered to them, and offering encouragement when it was needed most.
In 1985, Mary traveled to the United States of America in pursuit of a better life. In the United States of America, Mary worked in the Health Care Industry until she retired in September of 2023.
Mary accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior of her life at an early age and remained faithful and committed to her faith until her death. She was a member of A-Life Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas. Mary’s love for God and the things of God placed an unquenchable desire in her where she supported churches near and far.
Mary was a humanitarian. She supported many organizations that were advertised on TV for help, either locally or across states and even international organizations. She has also helped feed abandoned babies and children since 1992.
She was a member of the Liberian Community in the Dallas Fort Worth, Texas area and she was a member of BWI Association, Dekontee Association and the United Family Association and various other associations as well.
Mary is preceded in death by her father and mother, her adopted parents, her brother Thomas and her sister Dorothy.
She leaves to cherish her memories are her children, both biological and goddaughters, grandchildren, her only living sister Sarah Artis, Cousin Milton Artis, a host of relatives, nieces and nephews and friends in the United States of America, Liberia and around the world.
A celebration of Mary’s life will be held on November 14, 2026, at 8:30am at the A-Life Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas.
As we say goodbye, we take comfort in God’s promise of eternal life and trust that Mary rests in His loving care. We thank Him for the blessing of her life and for the love she shared so freely. May her memory inspire us to walk in faith, extend kindness, and cherish one another until we meet again.