Maryellen S Wales

With deep sorrow and abiding love, we remember Maryellen Stanton Wales—a devoted mother, treasured friend, respected professional, and a woman of unwavering faith and compassion. Maryellen passed away peacefully on June 11, 2025, just shy of her 83rd birthday. Her life was a remarkable journey of strength, love, service, and quiet grace.

Born Simone Maryellen Stanton in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Maryellen spent her early years in a bilingual home, speaking French with her mother and English with her father. At the age of nine, her family relocated to Weslaco, Texas, where she learned English and began laying the foundation for a life filled with resilience, intelligence, and deep empathy. She took immense pride in her French Canadian, Irish, and Texan heritage, and maintained close ties with extended family in Canada, Indiana, and Ohio.

Maryellen’s professional career in banking began in 1975 as a secretary to the Vice President at Citibank. Through perseverance and excellence, she rose to become Vice President and Branch Manager at Citibank, earning the admiration of colleagues and clients—especially within the oil and gas sector—for her integrity, fairness, and sharp financial acumen.

Beyond her distinguished career, Maryellen’s heart was in helping others. She devoted nearly five decades to Alcoholics Anonymous, where her wisdom and spiritual mentorship changed countless lives. She would have celebrated 49 years of sobriety on June 20, 2025. She helped establish multiple AA groups in Midland and Arlington, Texas, always considering her service in AA a “God deal.”

Faith was the cornerstone of Maryellen’s life. She was a devout Christian and served as an elder at Christ’s Church in Midland. She later returned to her Catholic roots, becoming a member of St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Arlington. She also completed the HeartPaths Training Program in Spiritual Direction and was a spiritual guide to many through Bible studies, prayer, and mentorship. You always wanted Mom praying for you.

She was inducted into the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2015, as a proud descendant of Sarah Whittemore, niece of Samuel Whittemore—Massachusetts' official state hero.

Maryellen lived with joy and purpose. A passionate cook, her goulash recipe, hot sauce, and signature use of Sazon spice filled hearts and bellies alike. Her love of football, quilting, the Hallmark Channel, and sharing laughter—especially from raising boys—spoke to her warm and humorous spirit. The scent of Chanel No. 5 will forever carry her memory, as will the memories of her “Walk to Emmaus.”

Above all, Maryellen cherished her family. She loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends, and dogs with fierce devotion. She was a rock—devoted, compassionate, strong-willed, resilient, generous, wise, humorous, and deeply grounded by faith.

She is preceded in death by her parents Simone Pepin Stanton and Warren G. Stanton, her beloved husband Herbert V. Wales, sons Kelly Deal and Scott Deal, sister Jocelyne Stanton Jones and brother-in-law William Jones, brother Warren Stanton, sister in spirit Phyllis Freshour, and in-laws Gene and Loraine Deal.

Maryellen is survived by her children: Mark Deal (Anissa), David Deal (Courtney), Matthew Jones (Kathy), and Andrew Jones (Sarah), heart daughter Malia Albin; Her stepchildren: Eric Wales, Grayson Wales (Renee), Darren Wales (Tonya), and Melinda Wales; Her grandchildren: Wyatt Deal, Myles Deal, Reagan Deal, Parker Jones, Preston Jones (Alexis), Payton Jones Sass (Andrew), Jocelyne Jones, Madeleine Jones, Jameson Jones, Justin Wales, Jeffrey Wales, Connor Wales, Sarah Wales, Emma Wales, and Vincent Taylor; Her great-grandchildren: Lily Sass, Valentina Wales, and Liliana Wales; Her nieces and nephew: Jami Deal, Kara Deal Core, and Randy Deal.

Maryellen’s legacy of faith, humor, and heartfelt service lives on in the many lives she touched. May we continue to carry her light forward in every act of kindness and grace.