Mary Lee Walls

Titus 2:3-5 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

I was born January 30, 1933, to Willie and Mary Ward in Port Gibson, Mississippi. I was one of 12 children and the last surviving child of my parents. I kept in regular contact with my siblings James, Willis, Lula, Elizabeth, Walter, Andrew Lee, Earnest, Percy, Willie Ruth, Willie and Patsy Jean as well as with their families as they grew.

I completed 8th grade and graduated from Watson Chapel Elementary School in 1948. Then I went to Southern Christian Institute Junior College and closed them out in 1953. At the end of the school year, I came home to help my family on the farm until I met and married Robert L. Walls on July 11, 1954. The wedding was going to be inside St. Mark Baptist Church, but they were using it for a court meeting. So, we went outside and were married by Rev W. C. Masque under a magnolia tree. My husband had joined the Army just before we got married. During his tour, we traveled to Italy where I was 1st lady of post Chapel at Aviano Airforce Base in Aviano, Italy. We also went to Germany and Okinawa. We were blessed with 4 children: Rosemary, Carolyn, Robert Jr and Jonathan and finally settled in Junction City, Kansas.

While in KS, I was the first lady at Shiloh Baptist Church in Herington, KS and then at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Abilene, KS along with serving as a musician there. After 4 years, we moved our membership to Second Missionary Baptist Church in Junction City, KS. God blessed me to be a member there for over 50 years! My time there was spent serving as Minister of Music, Deaconess chairperson, Study Mission Circle leader, VBS musician and teacher, Church Benevolence committee, Adult Ministry Chairperson, Choir director/Pianist for the Sunbeams and the Church School Choir. I was an active member in Sunday School, BTU, Ministers wives (SMBC, Smokey Hill and State), and choirs (Angelic, Women’s and Combined choirs). I was also a pianist for the Sunbeams of the Smokey Hill District Association and the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Kansas. In 2005, I received the Missionary Hall of Fame award in recognition and sincere appreciation of distinguished service and leadership for the Kansas State Missionary Department Auxiliary to the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Kansas. 

You’ve heard the saying about idle hands, right? Well, I made sure mine never were because I had learned the value of hard work. Whether I was picking cotton, gathering vegetables, peeling and canning those vegetables, running a tin pan of food over to my grandmother “Ma” (ask my children about that and why I was always humming), helping our neighbor milk her cows before school, or helping Mr. Will cut down trees that grew in our fence, I kept busy. I learned to sew and used this handy trade to make dresses, including both of my daughters’ wedding dresses, uniforms for the children’s choir, and bowties & dresses for my grandchildren. I enjoyed fishing and spent hours on the banks of Milford Lake with my husband, children, and friends. I found immense joy in baking/cooking and loved feeding my family and friends. I would make biscuits from scratch for dumplings, greens with skillet cornbread, jelly cake and homemade ice cream. I made sure no one left my presence unfed. My family would say I was good at taking a little and making much. They loved to quote me saying, “Now cut that cake like you have a family!”

I truly enjoyed serving my community by caring for people. I was a Certified Nursing Assistant and Certified Medication Aide at Valley View Professional Care Center for 22 years. I brought my Aunt Rosalie Ward from Mississippi to care for her in my home for many years. I cooked, packed, and delivered meals to SMBC members throughout the community and was a Patient Sitter at Geary Community Hospital. I spent hours on the phone calling the elderly or sick and shut in, praying with and for them, and running errands for them. I visited many of them in the hospital and spent time in the waiting room praying for people before and after surgeries. I believed in the power of prayer and knew this was one of the best ways I could serve people. In 2019, I received the Coretta Scott King Courage Award for showing special courage and going above and beyond for the community in Junction City, Kansas.

Music was a large part of my life and I thank God for the opportunity to serve Him by playing and singing. I loved working with the youth and sharing the love of God with them through song. I spent hours practicing at the piano for choir rehearsal with them. God’s ‘Amazing Grace’ (one of my favorite hymns) is a song that ministered to me throughout my life. Part of my calling was to instruct the children about His grace and love for them. I was blessed to watch many of them continue with music ministry as they grew. I was also blessed to minister to/with my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. I would often wrangle my grandchildren in singing a few lines of one of my favorite songs ‘The Lord is My Light’. 

 In 2020, due to health changes, I moved to Hazelwood, MO, to live with my son Jonathan and daughter in law, Felicia. I desired to remain in Junction City, but God’s plan was to move me closer to family. One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path”. God brought this scripture to life for me in having to leave my home in Junction City and move to Missouri. He knew what was ahead and, in His wisdom, He had a place prepared for me right before the world experienced the Covid 19 pandemic. This move, while personally challenging, proved I could trust the Lord. He ensured I was safe with family and cared for amid the world shutting down.

During the height of Covid 19, I attended worship services at Faith Covenant Ministries, and eventually in our home with Jonathan and Felicia for over a year. In 2021, I joined First Love Church with Jonathan and Felicia. There I was a consistent and dedicated intercessor and began singing with the choir. I was happy to once again be able to attend Sunday morning services and worship with my new church family who affectionately called me Mama Mary.

I am Mary, Mommy, Aunt MayLee, Grandma Walls, Great Grandma, Great-Great Grandma, Mama Mary, friend, and child of God. God has faithfully carried me through these 91 years, and I give Him all the glory for who I have been. I served Him by giving generously of my time, talent, and treasure and He gave back to me. I took care of others all my life and in my last years He led me to my son’s home to be cared for by him, his wife, and others in my family.

I thank God for the time I had with those who passed before me including my husband Robert L Walls Sr, my daughter Carolyn M. King, my son-in-law Bishop Mervyn Hammond Jr., my grandsons Marcus D. Hammond, Robert “Dewey” L Walls III, and Samuel J. Walls, my sister/friends Laurette A. Hammond and Mary “ML” Berry, and all my siblings. I pray God will continue to watch over my living family including my daughter Rose Hammond, my sons Robert “Bobby” Walls Jr (LaTrisha) and Min. Jonathan Walls (Min. Felicia Golden-Walls), my sister/cousin Ann Wilson (Reed), my 17 grandchildren Rev. Michael W. Hammond (Tara), Jennifer L. Hammond, Jessica L. Hammond, Marcus E. Hammond, Janet L. Green (Marvin) Jeanette L. Davis, Jacquelyn L. Flanders (Mike), Mervyn E. Hammond III, JoAnne L. Jones, Kessya N. King, Glenn F. King Jr, Jahaun P. King, Camille C. Walls, Crystal L. Brokenborough, Perris S.N. Coleman-Walls, Gregory M. Golden, Hannah D. Walls, my 30 great grandchildren Mikaela N. Hammond, Joshua D. Hammond, Michael W. Hammond Jr, Natalie M. Hammond, Nathaniel X. Hammond, Carolyn R. Green, Naomi L. Green, Marvin L. Green III, David A. Green, Savannah L. Green, Elizabeth J. Green, Lilliana C. Davis, Dorian J. Davis, Ariana J. Hammond-Jones, Jordan D. Flanders, Isabella K. Flanders, Tyanna M. Hammond, Jayla Jones, Janeira K. Gibson, Davante M. King, Cedric D. Phillips, Essence U Grace Jones, Euriah J. Precious King, Elijah P. King, Jaden E. King, Amari C. Hill, Aniyah E. Lassai, Aiyana J. Abraham, Kaylyn E. Williams, Simone A. Williams, my 7 great-great grandchildren Malachi T. Hammond, Kennedy Jones, Harmony Jones, Alyvia L. King, Joshia A. Phillips, Hakeem Neal, Alani Neal, my dear nephews and nieces, my cousins and extended family across the country, along with all my friends. I pray “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Eph 3:17-19

“I’ll see you on The Next Time!”

*The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thank you to: God, First Love Church Family, Faith Covenant Ministries, Dr. Daniel Kramer, and all those who called, texted, emailed, visited, sent cards, and shared gifts of love. You have been a blessing. May God Bless and Keep You!