Dr. Mary Dale Wasson

Dr. Mary Dale Wasson, a retired educator and counseling psychologist, died April 20, 2011 at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison, MS. She was the daughter of the late Reggie Dale and Lillie Moore Dale of Prentiss, MS. Dr. Wasson graduated from Blue Mountain College, MS with a B. A. degree in English. Upon graduating, she accepted a two-year contract sponsored by the U.S. Congress to teach English in the public schools in Puerto Rico. She delighted in talking of her first teaching experience there with no texts available and the admonition by the school principal “Teach them what you think they should know.” When her contract was completed, she remained on the island and accepted the position of secretary to the director of the Quartermaster Corps and later worked as supervisor for civilian personnel with the military at Fort Buchanan. While living in Puerto Rico, she opened the first licensed and bonded private employment office called the Borinquen Employment Agency and secured contracts with various businesses, hotels, restaurants and corporations to provide suitable employees. While living in Puerto Rico, she became fluent in the use of the Spanish language. After returning to the states, she remained in Baton Rouge and attended Louisiana State University where she earned a doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology. While a student, she met Robert Wasson, another graduate student whom she married and they continued their teaching career together. During this time, she taught Spanish at Istrouma High School and later served as Spanish teacher and director of counseling services at Broadmoor High School, both schools in Baton Rouge. This was followed by teaching for Louisiana State University and also Southeastern Louisiana University. While at L.S.U., Dr. Wasson co-conducted the summer Spanish language program in Mexico for university students. During her tenure in education, she served on national, state and local committees as well as the state educational evaluation committee for the purpose of evaluating the programs and achievements of various public schools in Louisiana. During her teaching career, she received numerous commendations for her achievements, among them the appointment as Honorary Counselor at the U.S. Naval Academy and for her service as a member of a national committee to study and evaluate the American College Test. Dr. Wasson was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa sorority and Phi Delta Kappa, honorary educational organizations. Later while her husband, a military officer, was deployed, she lived in Miami and taught business courses at the Levinson Business School. Dr. Wasson loved to travel and she and her husband enjoyed many extended vacations in foreign lands, both in Europe and Asia. With her Spanish knowledge, they especially enjoyed extended visits of three to six months in Spain and the South American countries. They leased a retirement home in Ajijic, Mexico, a small Mexican-Indian village near Guadalajara, for eight years and lived an active life in the community, making many friends among the native population. While working for a travel agency in Baton Rouge, Dr. Wasson planned and conducted tours to Spanish speaking countries for adult clients as well as for both college and high school students. Yet the underdeveloped countries of the world drew her back again and again and she often talked of India with its poor economy and its breath taking beauty—the Taj; of Turkey with its conception of the “Evil Eye,” and of Nepal with its cremations on the banks of the holy Ganges River. Upon taking early retirement, the Drs. Wasson moved to a military retirement village in Melbourne, Florida, where they lived for many years. While there, Dr. Mary Wasson taught in the Psychology Department of Brevard College and also conducted conversational Spanish classes for Patrick Air Base military personnel who had assignments in Spanish speaking countries. As an American Red Cross volunteer for thirteen years, she worked in the military hospital as an assistant to the military physicians and also assisted in the reservation office. She and her husband were active members of the Protestant military chapel at Patrick Air Force Base. They were also charter members in the establishment of Suntree Methodist Church in Melbourne, FL. In 1995, Dr. Wasson and her husband moved to Mississippi to better manage their farmland and large tree farm in south Mississippi. They became residents at St. Catherine’s Village, a health care retirement community in Madison, MS. Until her health declined, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Madison. Because of her interest and commitment to Piney Woods School, Dr. Wasson was honored by being named a Village Elder. She was a long time member of the Fort Rosalie chapter of the D.A.R. She worked as a substitute teacher for the Madison County School District and also taught adult classes in conversational Spanish for the Ridgeland Recreational and Parks Association. She also taught short conversational courses for various businesses in the area. She was very active at St. Catherine’s Village, organizing and serving as chairman for twelve years of the Welcome and Orientation Committee as well as the Med-Alert Committee. Dr. Wasson felt blessed to have had so many active and meaningful years with her husband and family. Dr. Mary Dale Wasson was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Robert Wasson on March 22, 2011. She is survived by a daughter, Rosemary Tilley and her husband, Randall; a grandson, Robert Tilley and his wife, Nancy and a great granddaughter, Robyn Tilley, all of Titusville, Florida and grandson, Ronald Tilley of California; dear nephews, Eddie Dale and his wife, Georgia Faye of Prentiss, MS and Russell Wasson and his wife, Diane and their daughters, Lily and Laura of Baton Rouge, LA; and many nieces, nephews and cousins who were very attentive to her including Jacqueline Polk of Brandon, MS, Misty Buckner of Madison, MS, Jerry Beth Delauney of Sylmar, CA and Doug Dale and his wife, Claire of Madison, MS. A memorial service will be held Friday, April 29, 2011 at 10:30 am at Saulters Moore Funeral Home Chapel in Prentiss, MS. Interment will follow at Prentiss Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:30 until 10:30 am on Friday at the funeral home.