Mary Preuss Wilson

Mary E. Larsen Preuss Wilson, affectionately known as Ma by her grandchildren and great grandchildren, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Monday, June 23, 2025 at the age of 92.

Mary was born in Kansas City, Missouri on September 16, 1932, to Lawrence and Grace (Anderson) Larsen. Her family moved several times throughout her childhood, finally settling in Texas when she was a teenager.

Mary graduated from Navasota High School in 1950 and went on to attend Sam Houston State Teacher’s College in Huntsville, Texas. It is there that she met her first husband and the love of her life, Eugene H. Preuss. After completing her first year in college, they married and moved to Taylor, Texas. Their family quickly grew with the addition of their four children.

Eugene’s career with Texas Power and Light took the family to several cities in Texas, starting with their hometown of Taylor, they moved to Waco, Elgin, and Sulphur Springs. It was while they were in Sulphur Springs that Mary returned to college in Commerce at East Texas State University to receive her degree in Education.

In 1979, Mary and Gene were transferred back to Taylor. Mary taught for 16 years in the Taylor ISD and loved those years working with sixth graders.

After 37 years of marriage, Mary’s husband, Eugene, passed away. She remained in Taylor for several years until she met and married John Wilson in 1995. Mary and John enjoyed traveling and loved living on Lake Buchanan in Burnet. When John passed away in 2000, Mary moved back to Sulphur Springs where both of her sons resided. She loved playing bridge and was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church, where she attended regularly.

Mary was preceded in death by her first husband, Eugene Preuss; her second husband, John Wilson; parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.A. Larsen; in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Preuss; grandson, Henry Preuss; daughter-in-law, Tammy Preuss; and brothers, Ralph Larsen and Jack Larsen.

Mary is survived by her four children, Luanne Prince of Houston, Suellen Smith (husband, Guy) of Cleburne, Roy Preuss of Yantis, Ralph Preuss of Sulphur Springs, and Lisa Preuss of Sulphur Springs. Among Ma’s greatest joys were her grandchildren, Kristin Armstrong Urbano (husband, Nick), Robin Armstrong Bittick (husband, Garrett), Rebecca Smith Grosswiler (husband, Jake), Stuart Smith, Richard England (wife, Sarah), and Rachel Preuss Mejia (husband, Salvador). She was also the proud great grandmother of Izzy Urbano, Cameron and Rhett Bittick, Harley Smith, Lexi, Jaxon, Colton, and Kenzie Grosswiler, Allison McMillan (husband Austin), Dylan Clark (wife, Callie), Porter, Archer, and Birdie England, Olive and Daisy Wilkinson, and Sebastian and Sage Mejia.

It is with sincere gratitude that we thank the staff at Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab for their exceptional care over the past several months, and the Cypress Basin Hospice staff for their compassionate care and attention to meet Mary’s needs.