Mary Lou Doran Yates

A funeral service to celebrate the life of Mary Lou Doran Yates, 81, will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, 211 Pilgrim Rest Church Rd., Doyline, Louisiana. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until the start of the service. Lunch will follow at 12:00 p.m.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Douglas Cemetery, located off Farmerville Highway on LA 821. Pastor Jerry Pate will officiate the services.

Mary was born on March 24, 1945, to Wilbur Green and Lorraine Brown in Shreveport, Louisiana, and passed away on Sunday, June 28, 2026, in Gurnee, Illinois.

Mary’s beauty was unforgettable. Beauty pageants and modeling were a natural fit for her Marilyn‑Monroe looks, and everyone who knew her admired her exceptional skin, sparkling blue eyes, blonde hair, and model‑like presence that made her stand out in any crowd. Yet those who knew Mary best will remember far more than her outward beauty. They will remember her quiet determination, her resilience, and her unwavering ability to keep moving forward through life’s challenges. Mary was dependable in the moments that mattered most, always showing up for her children, grandchildren, family, and friends with love, encouragement, and steadfast support. Her strength wasn’t loud; it was consistent, and it inspired everyone around her.

Mary was fortunate enough to have found love three times during her lifetime. She married Jerry R. Smith at the age of 16, and together they had their children, Tammy and Jerry. She found love once again with Charles “Chuck” Doran, and they were married for 30 years until his death in 2010. After Chuck’s passing, Mary once again found love and companionship during her golden years and married Balden “Bobby” Yates in 2019.

While Mary worked for Avon and Levi Strauss early in life, she spent most of her years as a homemaker, finding joy in caring for her family and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She loved dancing in her youth and treasured traveling to places such as San Francisco, Carlsbad Caverns, Branson, Chicago, Canada/Niagara Falls, the Outer Banks, the Grand Tetons, and fishing trips to Toledo Bend and Lake Bistineau. Mary had an eye for design and aesthetics and possessed superior confidence and a panache for decorating—whether it was clothing, furniture, or the smallest details of a room. She was a proud member of the Benton Garden Club, enjoyed painting ceramics (especially angels and carousel horses), and loved dancing at the VFW.

Mary grew in faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bossier City, where she was a devoted member for decades. Her words were often kind and generous, and she carried deep compassion for others. Sharing her faith came naturally to her, and her familiar closing— “Grace and Peace”—ended most conversations and cards, gently pointing those she loved toward her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mary was preceded in death by her mother, Lorraine Horn; daughter, Tammy Grosjean; brother, Wilbur Green, Jr; sisters, Edith Lawrence and Janice Bihn; husbands, Charles “Chuck” Doran, Jerry R. Smith, and Balden “Bobby” Yates.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Jerry Doran (Rhonda) and their sons, Joseph and Daniel (Jamie), and her other grandchildren, Victoria (Jonathan) Thrash, Bradley (Erica) Grosjean, Ricky Grosjean, and a growing number of great-grandchildren. Her sisters, Bonnie Ross Wilson, Ruth (Jim) Shaver, Kathy Horn, and Betty Moore, and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Honoring Mary as pallbearers will be Jerry Doran, Joseph Doran, Daniel Doran, Paul Murray, Patrick Card, and Scott Miller.

The family suggests memorials may be made to Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, 211 Pilgrim Rest Church Rd., Doyline, Louisiana 71023.