Our beloved mom, Mary Lou Byrne Reigle, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2026. Born on June 17, 1928 to J. Denison and Lucille Lesher, Mary Lou grew up in Fremont, Ohio with her three sisters: Martha Lee (her identical twin), Barbara, and Janet. She and Martha Lee looked so similar that they could fool their closest friends (and young children!) on occasion and continued to do so well into their sixties and seventies. Mary Lou graduated from Ross High School in Fremont in 1946 and then Bowling Green State University, with a degree in Elementary Education in 1950. She taught elementary school for several years in the Cleveland, Ohio area, where she met and married Lewis Charles Byrne from Lakewood, Ohio in 1952. They raised their children Denny, Jeff, Ellen and John in Rocky River, Ohio, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and finally Severna Park, Maryland, which she often referred to as the Land of Pleasant Living. She was widowed in 1975 and married Richard Scott Reigle in 1977; Dick’s son Scott joined the family then as well.

Mary Lou loved gardening and enjoyed leading her offspring by the hand to visit the “beauty spot” in her backyard in Severna Park. She and Dick loved to fish together at their vacation home in the Florida Keys. She was always interested and enthusiastic in her children and grandchildren’s pursuits; whether they loved reading, athletics, travel, or music, Mary Lou wanted to hear all about it. Her Christmas cookies were legendary and her potato salad unrivaled.

Mary Lou leaves behind a legacy of love, family, faith and friendship. She had a beautiful smile that could light up a room and an infectious laugh. She had a special gift for making each of her children, their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren feel loved and special. She was so proud of each of us and loved to cheer us on.

She was blessed with wonderful marriages to two fine men, sharing love and companionship throughout her life. She treasured her many friendships along the way, staying close over the many years to buddies from Fremont, Rocky River, Ohio, and Severna Park, Maryland. She kept right on making new friends at the Ginger Cove Retirement community in Annapolis well into her nineties.

Mary Lou’s faith was such an important part of who she was; she had a regular pew at Severna Park United Methodist Church, and before that, Rocky River Methodist Church. She volunteered regularly for over forty years with Meals on Wheels. Her faith gave her comfort, strength, and hope in difficult times, and it was woven into the way she lived.

She will be remembered for her sparkling sense of humor, generous heart, unwavering love for her family, and the Lesher optimism that she carried with her throughout her life. Mary Lou was deeply loved and will be deeply missed.

Mary Lou is survived by her children, Denison Edward Byrne (Nancy Ward), Jeffry Lewis Byrne (Susan), Ellen Byrne Hunt (Geoff), and John Charles Byrne; her sisters Barbara Hammitt and Janet Trachtenberg, grandchildren Devon Conklin (Kyle), Jed Byrne (Cara), Lucy Byrne, Emily Byrne Wykle, Tyler Byrne (Megan Carlberg), Ben Hunt (Jenna), Chris Hunt (Melissa), Connor Hunt (Jacklyn), Luke Byrne, Morgan Byrne, and 11 great grandchildren. In addition to Lewis Byrne and Richard Reigle, she was preceded in death by her sister, Martha Lee Pulley, her step-son Scott Reigle and his son Dustin Reigle.

A private family service is planned at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Severna Park United Methodist Church in memory of Mary Lou Byrne Reigle. https://www.severnaparkumc.org/