Obituary of Mary Lou Orr

On January 29th, this world lost an extraordinarily kind-hearted, selfless woman. Mary Louise (Carno) Orr, 83, beloved wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend was born on March 10, 1939, to Michael and Mary (Paul) Carno. She found a perpetual light behind every aspect of life.

Mary Lou graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 1957 and CCBI in 1958 where she met friendships that would last forever. 

On June 9, 1962, Mary Lou married the love of her life, Raymond Orr, surrounded by family and friends at St. Patrick’s Church on Tipperary Hill. They built their home to be a gathering place for all, hosting summer pool parties, birthdays, weddings, Sunday dinners and so much more. 

Mary Lou adored being in the kitchen and insisted anyone entering her home would leave full. She enjoyed traveling the world with her family & friends, dancing and singing, “Club” nights with her friends from high school where they would converse and brag about their families, and she never met a 'Hot Fudge Sundae' she didn’t like.

Her children and grandchildren were her pride and joy. Not a day went by when she didn’t think or talk about them. 

Mary Lou worked in the Department of Nutrition at Syracuse University for over 25 years.  She loved meeting the students and tasting their new recipes from the test kitchen.

Mary Lou was the kind of person that could meet someone and be lifelong friends with them a second later. Anyone crossing paths with her would instantly notice her positive energy, kindness & authenticity. It’s just who she was.

She is predeceased by, her parents; Michael and Mary (Paul) Carno, her sisters; Phyllis Lambert and Delores DeNio and her niece; Patricia Lambert.

She is survived by her unconditionally devoted husband Raymond Orr, their daughters; Mary (Paul) Wilson & Kathleen Orr, her grandchildren; Elizabeth and Kent Wilson, Isabella and William Feid, her extended family members; Jerry, Agnes and Patrick Orr; Marian (Dave) Berda and daughters Stephanie & Catherine; George Lambert; and several cousins and friends who became family along the way.

A mass of Christian burial will be held Friday February 3, 2023 at 11am at St. Patrick’s Church, 216 N. Lowell Ave, Syracuse, NY 13204. The family will receive friends and relative from 9-11am at the church prior to mass. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Randall Road, Dewitt, NY.

In lieu of flowers, please make Donations to St. Jude’s children’s Hospital or Disabled Veterans.