Mary Lil Pence

Mary Lil Pence

Mary Lil Pence, 90, of Vienna, Virginia passed away peacefully on March 5, 2025. She was born in Union, Missouri on October 19, 1934, and after high school worked for her family’s appliance business and as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell.

She married Billie Pence, her high school sweetheart, who was serving in the US Army. This launched a 50-year life and career of federal service at US embassies including Delhi, Mexico City, Paris, Bangkok, and Athens. After Mary retired in 1994, she continued to take on short-notice, short-term assignments around the world. Her first of these adventures was to Ashgabat for three months- with only two day’s advance notice. Her children kept atlases at the ready to keep up with her whereabouts. Mary also collected and sold antiques, especially linens. She was a fixture at many antique shows across the Washington, DC region.

Mary is survived by her children Dr. Deborah Pence of Kilauea, HI; and Gregory (Janet) Pence, grandsons Justin, Michael, and Patrick Pence all of Arlington, VA; her brother Richard Yoest of Omaha, NE; her sister-in-law Sharon Lakebrink Yoest of Boise, ID; her dear friend Adele Asaro of Oakton, VA; and her former husband Billie Pence of Penn Grove, CA.

There will be a gathering of family and friends in Union, MO at a later date, when Mary will be buried with her parents Carl and Berniece Yoest.