Mary Crabtree

Mary Lou Martin Crabtree, age 78, passed away at her home in Fairfax, OK on October 7, 2025, surrounded by loved ones and her beloved pets.

Mary Lou was born on February 5, 1947, to Lincoln A. “John” Martin and Vergie Clanton Martin. She shared her birthday with her twin sister, Margaret Sue. They were the eldest of five children. The family lived outside of Chelsea, OK on a dairy farm. In addition to farm life, Mary Lou also competed in barrel racing throughout high school. She attended Chelsea Public Schools, graduating in 1965. She went on to further her education at NEO A&M college in Miami before attending Northeastern State University in Tahlequah where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree.

Mary Lou, or Mrs. Crabtree as she was known by thousands of her students, taught high school science for 33 years before her retirement in 2003. She was tough, but fair, always having the best interest of the students at heart. She had high expectations for her students but was always available to help and encourage them to succeed. She enjoyed teaching and shared her love of science with her students, volunteering and substitute teaching long after her retirement.

On August 12, 1972, she married Donald Crabtree in Chelsea, OK. The couple made their home in Fairfax, OK and later welcomed a daughter, Allyson. Their commitment to each other, to their family, and to their farm was evident in everything they did. They shared 47 years of love, laughter, and adventure before Donald’s passing in November 2019.

Mary Lou cherished her role as grandmother and grew prouder every day of her granddaughter, Megan. They enjoyed many visits together at the farm, which Mary Lou looked forward to for weeks and was always ready to cook fried chicken for Megan.

Mary Lou was a lifelong Girl Scout, and she dedicated countless years as a member, troop leader, organizer, and camp volunteer. She organized cookie sales, lock-ins, parades, meetings, crafts, and toy, sock and canned food drives over the years. Her life was a model for the young girls she loved so much, and her influence will forever remain in the lives of all who knew her. Everyone in Fairfax knew that Mary Lou was the person to contact for Girl Scouts, but especially when it came time for cookies.

She met some of her favorite people in scouting over the years, especially at Camp Wah-Shah-She. She volunteered at camp for over 25 summers where she was known for creative themes, denim crafts, and campfire cooking. The sessions she led with her twin sister, Sue were often the first to fill with campers excited to spend part of their summer with Pete (Mary Lou) and Re-Pete (Sue) as they are affectionately known. Those bonds and friendships have transcended over the years, especially with her group of OLC friends.

Mary Lou enjoyed crocheting, baking, making cards, writing letters to loved ones, crafting, decorating wreaths, crossword puzzles, British mysteries, and gardening. She spent many happy hours with her flowers. She would pick bouquets from her garden to take to the nursing home during the summer to make things a little happier for the nurses and the patients. Mary Lou loved sharing with others. She would bake brownies and share them with neighbors, the feed store, the bank, and the doctor’s office. She wrote weekly letters to family and friends because she knew it brought them joy. She was known for sharing starter plants and seeds but especially enjoyed sharing the fruits of her labor with jars of pickles and peppers fresh from her garden. Her giving spirit and talents knew no limit and will be missed by many.

She is survived by her daughter, Allyson Crabtree; granddaughter Megan and her husband, Kevin Dunn; her twin sister, Sue Wyche; sisters, Linda Ramsey and Becky Lay; and her brother, Lincoln Martin. She leaves behind by a whole host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends and her beloved pets: Dixie, Sugar, Hank, Murphy, Violet, Willie, Waylon, and Betty.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, October 14, from 3pm to 7pm at the Hunsaker Wooten Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral service will be at 2pm, Wednesday, October 15 at Fairfax City Cemetery Pavilion with Pastor Lewis Bernard presiding. Burial will immediately follow where she will be laid to rest beside her husband Donald in Block J, Lot 72.

Anyone wishing to make memorial donations, please donate to the Fairfax Public Library, 158 E Elm Street, Fairfax or the charity of your choice to honor Mary Lou. Words of encouragement, condolences, and memories may be shared at www.hunsakerwootenfuneralhome.com