Mary L Pylant's Obituary
Mary Luker Pylant passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on January 31, 2026, a reward for a life well lived.
Born on December 16, 1932, in Obion County, TN, Mary witnessed the world change over her nine decades. She was born to Arah and Frank Luker, who lived in a farmhouse for the first decade of her life. As one of seven children, Mary was the first woman in her family to graduate from college, earning her degree from Arkansas State University. It was at ASU that she met her future husband, Max Pylant, who saw her for the first time on top of a homecoming float and fell immediately in love.
Max and Mary were married in 1955 and remained happily married until Max’s death in 1996. They enjoyed time with their three daughters—Anna, Nancy, and Amy—at Wyndyke Country Club and at Pickwick Lake. Mary was an elegant matriarch, who supported her family with love and kindness. She loved playing tennis, cards, and other games with friends and family.
Mary had a 33-year career as a public-school teacher, a career that her daughter and granddaughter also pursued. She was loved by her students and enjoyed her time in the classroom, even teaching her grandson in the first grade in her final year of teaching.
Throughout her life and even in her later years, she was always there to support her children and grandchildren, going so far as to help care for her great-grandchildren well into her 80s when her granddaughter returned to work. Her love for babies and children made her happiest when being surrounded by little ones.
She was preceded in death by her parents Arah and Sterling Frank Luker, her sisters Imogene and Nina, her brothers Marlin and Joe, her daughters Anna Pechak and Nancy Swanton Bumpus, and her granddaughter Laina Younger.
Mary is survived by her daughter Amy Williams (Michael) of Arlington, Tennessee, grandchildren Brad Rutherford (Kim) of Dawsonville, Georgia, Marianna Vescovo (Nic) of Memphis, Tennessee, Bonnie Swanton of Memphis, Tennessee, April Kocsis of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Max Kocsis of Asheville, North Carolina, and four great grandchildren: Max Vescovo, Eva Vescovo, Adair Rutherford, and Libby Rutherford, brother James Luker (Nancy), sister, Josie Spurgeon, and son-in-law Chris Pechak (Becky).
Visitation will be held from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2026, followed by a funeral service, beginning at 1:00 PM, in the Riverside Chapel at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38119.
Pallbearers will be Sterlin Wright, Chris Pechak, Brad Rutherford, Max Kocsis, Nic Vescovo, and Max Vescovo.
The family is grateful to Mary’s daughter Amy for being such a kind, nurturing caregiver to Mary in her final days.
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