Mary "Jody" Pavlis

Mary E. (Jody) Pavlis passed away quietly on June 24, 2024, at the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center in Gregory.
Jody was born June 6, 1932, in Dillon, SC, to the late Marvin and Mae (Young) Carlyle. She was the middle of three girls.
In 1950, Jody married Raymond Souza. Two sons, Michael and Steven, were born to this union.
While in California Jody was employed by GTE.
Later she met and married Larry W. Pavlis on June 14,1975. Larry was in the Navy so they lived in many different places including Maryland, Florida, and North Carolina before retiring and moving to South Dakota in 2000. While in North Carolina she was an active member of the Women of the Moose Lodge. After moving to Gregory, she enjoyed her membership in the Red Hats Club, Rod Benders Club and American Legion Auxiliary.
Larry and Jody enjoyed camping at Snake Creek with all of their friends. Jody also loved reading books, watching movies and listening to music. Art was her greatest talent and she has many beautiful paintings to show it. Her greatest enjoyment was dancing until health issues no longer allowed her to do so.
Jody's faith in God was strong and it was a comfort for her in the end.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Maggie and Bobbi, her in-laws Lawrence and ClaraBelle Pavlis and niece Diane Ishmael.
Surviving is her husband Larry of 49 years; her two sons Michael (Susie) Souza of Benson, AZ, and Steven (Katie) Souza of Caldwell, ID; grandchildren: Mark (Mattea) Souza of Arizona and Eric (Becky) Souza of Florida; great grandchildren: Isabelle, Lily, Dane and Maxsom Souza; nephews Paul Gray, Mitchell Gray and Kelly McPhail; in-laws Linda and Marion Ishmael of Sioux Falls, SD, Dale and Cindi Pavlis of Slayton, MN, and Leann Schrader of Gregory; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial services for Mary "Jody" Pavlis, age 92, of Gregory, SD, were held on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 10:30 am at Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home, in Gregory, SD, with Pastor Gary Jacobsen officiating. Visitation was held one hour prior to the memorial service.
Music was "What A Friend We Have in Jesus" and "Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling" by Alan Jackson.
Joyce Shavlik was in charge of registration.
Urn Bearers were Linda Ishmael and Leann Schrader.
Lunch was served after the memorial service at the Senior Center.
Inurnment was at Pleasant Lawn Cemetery in Geddes, SD, at 2 pm.