Mary Lou Burroughs Gough, 71, died peacefully at her home in Chaptico on September 19, 2010, following a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was born on August 26, 1939 to Mary Blanche and Eugene Scott Burroughs, Jr. She grew up on the Burroughs Brothers Dairy Farm in Charlotte Hall, MD with her three brothers, Eugene S. Burroughs, III Robert G. Burroughs, and the late Donald R. Burroughs. In later years the family moved to Homeland Drive in Hughesville, and grew to include her three sisters-in-law, Anne, Hanna, and Faye, who she cherished.

She attended St. Mary's School Bryantown, Notre Dame High School, Marymount College and The Washington School for Secretaries.

On her birthday in 1961 she married William Edelen Gough Jr., and made Chaptico her home for the next 49 years of their marriage. Together they raised a family of four children, L. Jeanne (Wes) Gough-Cook, William E. (Meg) Gough, III both of Mechanicsville, MD, Mary K. (Tom) Wills of Charlottesville, VA, and Susan L. (Hugh) Gardiner of LaPlata, MD. She took great pride and tremendous joy in her ten grandchildren, Lauren and Meredith Cook, Erin and William Gough, Luke and Colin Wills, and Elizabeth, Charlie, Henry, and James Gardiner. The mention of their names brought a twinkle to her eye and a smile to her face.

She was an excellent cook, and was always ready with a meal or her famous chicken noodle soup, known for its restorative qualities. She loved to entertain, especially during the holidays. Her Christmas night parties were legendary. She loved flowers, and enjoyed arranging them for family, friends, events, and the altar at her church. She enjoyed traveling, both in the United States and abroad, but her fondest times were family vacations in Nags Head, NC.

Hers was a life of service to her family, community, and church. She served as Administrative Director for Alternatives for Youth, beginning at Loretta House, where she was a mentor to her coworkers and a kind and gentle role model to the young boys living there. She volunteered for a variety of organizations, including Meals on Wheels, St. Mary's Nursing Home, and Mother Catherine Spalding School. She had a deep abiding faith, and was an active member of Our Lady of the Wayside parish, chairing church dinners and bake sales and serving on the Altar Society. She was instrumental in establishing the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, where an addition will be built and named in her honor in November.

The family will receive friends for Mary Lou's Life Celebration on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD with prayers recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 11a.m. in Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic church with Father Timothy Baer officiating. Interment will follow in Queen of Peace cemetery.

Pallbearers will be: E. Scott Burroughs IV, Donald R. Burroughs Jr., Joseph B. Gough, J. Christopher Mattingly, Michael Boyd, and David Vaira. Memorial contributions may be made to The Mary Lou Gough Food Pantry at Our lady of the Wayside Church, P.O. Box 97, Chaptico, MD 20621 and/or Hospice of St. Mary's, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

Arrangements provided by Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.