Mary Louise Dunaway Austin

Mary Louise Dunaway Austin, often called Louise, Gram, Grandmother, or Weezy, 85, of Lexington, South Carolina, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2026. She was born on February 12, 1940, in Noland, Kentucky, to the late Robert and Evie Dunaway.

Louise was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of many years, Harry Edward Austin; her sisters, Jayne McNeese and Donna Jenkins; her daughters, Teresa Austin and Patricia Garland; and her son, Harold Jay Austin, stillborn.

She is survived by her brother, Kenny Dunaway; her daughters, Rita Long, Myra Cooper (Ricky), and Shawne Glenn; her grandchildren, Tara Austin, Josh Garland, Jeremiah Cooper, Chad Austin, Justin Shumpert, Fallen Wingard, and Terriana Sykes; along with 18 great-grandchildren and many great-great-grandchildren, all of whom brought her endless joy.

In her younger years, Louise worked at a sewing factory before devoting herself fully to her family as a homemaker. She proudly raised five daughters and later helped raise grandchildren, becoming the heart of her family and the keeper of its stories, traditions, and laughter.

Louise was famously known for her cooking—especially her pound cake, cornbread, and her legendary banana pudding—but even more for her quick wit and playful spirit. She had a sharp, silly sense of humor and loved to joke, tease, and keep everyone laughing. You never quite knew what she was going to say next, but you knew it would be memorable. Her comments were often wildly inappropriate, always hilarious, and delivered with a sparkle in her eye that made it impossible not to laugh.

She loved animals deeply, especially her faithful dog, Bindi, who was rarely far from her side and brought her great comfort and companionship.

A visitation will be held Friday, January 30, 2026, from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 10:00 a.m., at Barr-Price Funeral Home, 609 Northwood Road, Lexington, South Carolina. Burial will follow at Celestial Memorial Gardens for anyone who would like to join.

Louise will be remembered for her humor, her cooking, her devotion to family, and the laughter she brought into every room she entered. Her legacy lives on in the stories told around kitchen tables, the recipes passed down, and the joy she gave so freely to those she loved.

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