Mary Ellen Slawson, 56, of Rush Springs, Oklahoma was born on November 27, 1964 in Duncan, Oklahoma to Carroll “Gib” Gibson and Peggie Davis Gibson. She passed away Wednesday morning, August 25, peacefully in her sleep at her home.
 Services were held at Vimy Ridge Baptist Church in Rush Springs on Tuesday, August 31, and officiated by Brother David Hale. Following will be a gathering at the Ringling Memorial Cemetery where Mary will be buried in the Slawson family plot that afternoon. All arrangements have been entrusted to Callaway-Smith-Cobb Funeral and Cremation Services.
 Mary has an older sister, Peggy Sue, and a younger brother, Gary Dean. Mary grew up in Marlow and attended Marlow Schools. She was a shy child but she did have several close friends that she remained in contact with.
 On September 6, 1985, Mary married Joe David Slawson in Duncan, Oklahoma. She described meeting Joe as one of the best things that could have ever happened to her. In her own words, Joe always treated her like a princess and she couldn’t have asked for a better man – he was her very best friend. They would have celebrated 36 years of marriage on September 6th of this year. They had their ups and downs as any relationship does, but they always loved each other with every fiber of their being. Joe and Mary made each other better people with their love. It was truly a beautiful thing to witness.
 Four months after they were married, Mary became pregnant with son Shawn Edward, and gave birth to him in October 1986. Two years later, in July 1988, she gave birth to son Travis Lee. In addition to Shawn and Travis, she was stepmother to daughter Amanda and son Joseph. Her whole world revolved around her children and grandchildren.
 Her entire life, Mary loved to go to garage sales and thrift shops. In 1992, Mary opened a second hand store called Mary’s Twice is Nice in Rush Springs with her father. She loved going to garage sales, estate sales, and thrift shops to find things to sell in the store. Even after she closed Mary’s Twice is Nice in 2012 due to health complications, Mary still frequently shopped at garage sales and thrift shops.
 Mary was a proud member of Vimy Ridge Baptist Church in Rush Springs, where she was baptized by Brother J.R. Earles in the early 1990s.
 Mary was known for having a heart of gold and helping anyone she could in any way she could. She was generous, kind, and caring. She fulfilled the roles of wife, mother, and daughter beautifully. She was warm and welcoming and loved her family above all else. She and her father were especially close. Mary’s mother in law Elizabeth often referred to Mary as the daughter she never had and Mary considered Elizabeth the mother she always wanted. She was very close to both Elizabeth and her father in law, Melburn.
 Mary is preceded in death by her father, Carroll “Gib” Gibson.
 She is survived by husband Joe Slawson, daughter Amanda Scott and husband Chantry, son Joseph Slawson and wife Catrina, son Shawn Slawson and wife Jennifer, son Travis Slawson, mother Peggie Gibson, sister Sue Nooner, and brother Gary Gibson. Mary also leaves behind thirteen grandchildren:
 Online condolences can be made to www.CallawaySmithCobb.com