Mary Lou Block Tullos, 96, of Houston, died Thursday, December 31, 2009, at Houston Hospice.

A native of Port Neches, Mary Lou was born April 20, 1913, and grew up on her father’s farm which is now known as Oak Bluff Memorial Park. Her father, William Theodore Block was a descendant of the Block family which came from Germany to settle Grigsby’s Bluff (Port Neches) in 1846. Her mother Dieu Wertje Koelemay Block was the daughter of the first Dutch settlers of Nederland in 1898. One of her seven sisters was the late Rosa Dieu Block Crenshaw of Beaumont.

Mary Lou was a 1929 graduate of Port Neches High School. She married, Bob Tullos, Sr., who was employed by the Beaumont Fire Department.  After the death of her husband, she worked as an administrative assistant for the Beaumont Fire Department. She was a member of the Alpha-Omega class at First United Methodist Church for over thirty years. She moved to Houston in the 60’s to help with her grandchildren. When any members of her large extended family were ill, she went to help. Mary Lou lived to serve others.

Her husband, Robert Norville Tullos, Sr., preceded her in death. She is survived by her son, Robert Tullos, Jr.; granddaughters, Stacey McManigal of Omaha, Nebraska and Jennifer White of El Cerrito, California; five great-grandchildren; sister, Alta Grey Block Fletcher; and numerous extended family members.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 9, 2010, at First United Methodist Church, Beaumont with interment to follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont. A gathering of her family and friends will be 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, January 8, 2010, at the mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 3247, Beaumont, Texas 77704.

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