Marie (Rie) was born in Dallas, TX to Ralph William Losey and Cecilia Arnold Losey. She was the oldest of three children. Her siblings Herbert and Margaret were so accomplished she always said she was thankful she wasn't born last.

Marie attended Highland Park High School, Dallas, TX and graduated from Classen High School, Oklahoma City, OK. She attended Oklahoma State University majoring in Fashion Merchandising. She graduated from Oklahoma City University with a BA in English and was runner-up for Homecoming Queen.

Early on Marie worked for Sohio Petroleum before marrying Herbert Bruce Lewis, a 1st Lieutenant, U.S. Army. They were stationed in Hanau, W. Germany where they welcomed their daughter, Rebecca Ann. After returning to Norman, OK, they welcomed their son, Gregory Scott.

Marie worked as an Executive Director of the United Way of Norman and then as Executive Director of Camp Fire Girls in Norman, OK, Austin, TX and Amarillo, TX. She began a second career she loved as a Division Order Analyst and worked for Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville, OK and for the R.E. Smith Foundation in Houston, TX.

Marie's favorite cars were a 1957 Chevy, a Ford Convertible and a Buick Riviera. She loved the freedom of the highway. When she found a shoe that fit, she got a pair in every color. She was a greeter at the Senior Center in retirement and loved performing with the Hula Honeys dance group for 9 years.

Marie was a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners football teams and when they weren't playing, all other teams. Her other loves were her dogs; Coco, Daisy, Schatzi, and Sassy. Marie loved to dance. She broke her wrists jitterbugging back in the day. Thankfully no videos of this exist.

After Marie and Herb went their separate paths, she married a former Royal Air Force pilot, Laurance Thetford. They settled in Plano, TX and loved it there. Marie wrote an autobiography and titled it "It's All Fun." It covered the years 1929 to 1956 because "that was the fun part."

Marie loved listening to The Bee Gees most of all and liked pop music which probably drove her contemporaries crazy on the way to book club. Her must-see soap opera was "Days of our Lives". She said, "I may be 93, but I don't feel old."

Marie left behind her children, Rebecca Gollnick and husband, Clayton, and Scott Lewis and her grandchildren; Joshua Lewis, Katherine Gollnick, Gretchen Yerkey, Jesse Lewis, Juliana Gollnick and 8 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Laurance, and her grandson, Graham Gollnick.

Some thoughts Marie would appreciate: Do your best. Love your family. Follow your arrow and live an amazing life. It goes by so fast.

You can look for me in the garden or at a Dallas Cowboys game. You know I'll be there in one form or another.

Don't cry because I'm gone. Remember to be happy I was here.

Use the fine china, the good perfume and your best things. Trust me on this.

Love you, forever.

Contributions in her memory may be made to her favorite animal welfare organization:

Operation Kindness

3201 Earhart Dr.

Carrollton, TX 75006

972-418-7297

operationkindness.org