Mary Lou Compton, 81, of Kechi, Kansas, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2026, with her husband and son at her side. Mary Lou was born on October 13, 1944, in Topeka, Kansas. As an infant, she was adopted into a loving home by Carl and Lucille Rieger.

On July 2, 1963, she married Leon Compton. Together, they shared more than sixty-three years of marriage, built on an unwavering partnership and devotion to one another. Mary Lou considered her greatest role to be that of a wife and mother, filling her home with warmth, humor, and unconditional love. Mary Lou had a lifelong love of quilting. With patient craftsmanship, she created beautiful quilts, each stitched with love and treasured by family and friends.

Following Leon’s retirement, they moved from Wichita to the Sunnydale area of Kechi, where they found peace in the quiet of the countryside. Mary Lou never met a stray cat she didn’t want to help. Over the years, they opened their home to many. A devoted Christian and member of Kechi United Methodist Church, Mary Lou lived her faith through quiet acts of charity, compassion, and service to others.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents, Carl Rieger and Lucille Jensen, and by her beloved son, Craig Compton.

She is survived by her devoted husband of sixty-three years, Leon Compton; her son, Jeffrey Compton; and cherished family and friends.

In her later years, Mary Lou enjoyed researching her family history and reconnecting with members of her birth family, including relatives who shared her Navajo ancestry. Mary Lou’s kindness, unwavering faith, and quiet strength will continue to live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know and love her.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Baker Funeral Home on Tyler Road in Wichita. Interment will follow at Resthaven Cemetery.

In Lieu of flowers, please donate to Victory In the Valley, 3755 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218. https://www.victoryinthevalley.org/donate

Honoring Mary Lou’s wishes, family and friends are invited to dress casually, including blue jeans, for the celebration of her life.