Mary Lou Whitesell Truett Agee, age 81, of The Highland House, Clifton Forge, Virginia, and formerly of Roanoke, Virginia died Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at The Highland House.

She was born November 10, 1930 in Fries, Virginia, to the late Samuel and Nellie Whitesell.

Mary Lou's love of adventure started on her first Girl Scout camping trip when she was ten years old. She attended Radford University and graduated with a Masters degree in Business Education. In 1969 she set out with her brood to Clifton Forge, VA, where she would teach Secretarial sciences at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.

She had the opportunity to share her love of business with many students, but even more than that she inspired them to be the best that they could be in life. After the adventure of years of teaching and raising children, it was time she and Gus both settled into a life of surf fishing, travel and quieter adventure. Unfortunately, Gus was diagnosed with lung cancer and was never able to live their dream. Mary Lou decided to continue on and experience the world in his honor.

Her adventures led her to countless places. Her most exciting trips centered on her love of birds. In pursuit of seeing as many birds as possible, she purchased a tent and set off on a grand adventure. At age sixty-five she camped for thirty days across Australia. She was smitten and quickly sold her home, purchased a one person RV and took off for two years to travel across the United States.

After many cross country trips, she set her sights on Alaska. In her 79th year she travelled to Alaska to add to her lifetime list of birds. She rode a four-wheeler for the first time near the Bering Sea within the Arctic Circle. Many of us only dream about what she aspired to do, and live our lives wishing we had done more. At the end, she was able to smile and say, "I lived."

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Charles Truett; her second husband, Harold "Gus" Agee; and a sister in infancy.

She is survived by a daughter, Amelia O'Connor of Providence, RI; two sons, Timothy Truett of Montgomery Village, MD and Benjamin Truett and wife, Shawn of Clifton Forge; step children, Mitzi Seacrest of Ferrum, David Agee of Clifton Forge, Andy Agee of Eastern Shore of Virginia, and Becky Agee of Wirtz; three brothers, Samuel Whitesell and wife Kay of Williamsburg, David Whitesell and wife, Diane of Florida, and Bill Whitesell and wife, Phyllis of Lancaster, PA; five grandchildren, Cullen Truett, Katherine O'Connor, Sean O'Connor, Joshua Agee, and Shannon Wells; and a number of nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in Mallow Presbyterian Church, Covington with Reverend Gary Marshall officiating. Following the service, her body will be cremated. The family will receive friends on Saturday morning one hour prior to the service at Mallow Presbyterian Church. Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge is in charge of arrangements. The family suggests memorial tributes take the form of contributions to the DSLCC Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 1000t, Clifton Forge, VA 24422.