Mary Alice Dudley was born on Friday, January 10, 1944, and took her final breath on December 15, 2025—just 50 feet from where she was born. The years in between, she lived.

Mary Alice graduated from Spearsville High School in 1961 and later attended BMI (Bish Mathis Institute) in Monroe until her marriage in 1963. After marrying, she and her husband made their home in Meridian, Mississippi, and later Bossier City, Louisiana. Following her husband’s retirement from Delta Airlines, they returned to her beloved home in Union Parish.

Mary Alice had a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ and was a faithful member of Mt. Olive Missionary Church. She also held a special place in her heart for Hopewell Baptist Church, a second church within her Laran community.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Murray T. Dudley of Portland, Maine; her parents, Wilfred and Willie Bell Odom; her brother, Delwyn “Pete” Odom; and her niece, Pam Odom Hicks Jones.

Well before the term fashionista was coined, Mary Alice was known for her style and well-kept appearance. She was even known to tend to her flowers fully made up—because you never knew who might stop by to visit. Beautiful inside and out, Mary Alice was remembered for her kindness and generosity. She loved gardening, children, traveling, and spending time with family.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Roger of Spearsville; her daughter, Rena of El Dorado, Arkansas; grandsons Zack (Kay) of Spearsville and Lex (Sydney Wade) of Spearsville; great-granddaughters Lilly Dudley and Karli Shields; and great-grandson Boone A. Dudley.

A special thank you is extended to Mary Alice’s close girlfriends of over 70 years—Joy, Francis, and Donna—as well as all of their Spearsville classmates. The family also gratefully acknowledges the staff of Reeves Memorial Hospital and Clinic in Bernice, Louisiana, Heart of Hospice, and Cassidy Wade and Hayley Echols of Timberlane Rehabilitation in El Dorado, Arkansas.

Honorary pallbearers will be Lucien Savage, Bubba Walsworth, Greg Hicks, Zack Dudley, Lex Dudley, and Gabe Walsworth.

Visitation will be held at Farrar’s funeral home chapel Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, following visitation Pastors Buddy Boatright and Dwayne Ramsey will officiate a celebration of Alice’s life. A private family service will be conducted at Zion Hill Cemetery at a later date.