Mary Lou Corn

Mary Louise Corn of St. James Missouri passed away peacefully at home on Friday May 6th surrounded by family at age 94. Mary Lou was a well know regional artist beloved by many patrons, friends and collectors. She and her late husband Art were renowned for their unique home, collections and creativity. She is survived by her son John and wife Sandy of Columbia, MO; grand children Alec MacPherson of St. James, Ellen MacPherson-Salyers and husband Ben of St. Louis; Arax Corn of Boulder, CO; Ava Corn-Drayton and husband Marlon of Columbia and Zane Corn of Columbia, MO; Ryan Pierce and wife Laura of St. Louis, MO; and Ashley Dolan and husband Levi of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 7 great grand children.

Mary Lou was born May 3, 1928 in Audrain County near Mexico, MO to Leroy and Anna Snook. She was raised in a farming community there until moving to Fulton Mo. in 1943 where she completed high school and attended William Woods College. It was during her college years she met her future husband Arthur Corn who was attending Westminster College and they were married in 1948. Mary Lou and Art lived in Kansas City, Macalester, OK and Oklahoma City before settling in St. James in 1958, where they raised two children, Johanna, who preceded her in death in 2020 and John who survives.

From an early age, Mary Lou exhibited a talent for drawing and artistic design. She pursued her art training at William Woods, workshops and retreats during her early years when she was raising her family. Her career accelerated once she and Arthur completed their one of a kind hand built home known as Acorn Woods. From that time, her watercolor techniques, now fully developed and defined, began to attract attention and demand from patrons, galleries, and connoisseurs. Her prolific output produced rare water colors that now hang in homes, businesses and permanent galleries

As an artist, her work was not limited to paintings but also abstract reliefs and assemblages made of found or repurposed objects, sculptures made from cast off farm and industrial metal, Christmas ornaments created from hollow eggs and gourds, and many other creations too numerous and unique to easily describe. Her work featured many personal challenges that often defied simple explanations. In her own words, she believed it was her duty to share the extraordinary beauty of the natural world, transposed to her paintings and prints.

Mary Lou leaves behind a vast legacy of unique and rare artwork and will be missed by her many friends, family, and acquaintances.

Arrangements are being handled by Rolla Cremation and Memorial. Services are pending. Online condolences can be left at www.rollacremations.com.