1948
Mary
2012
Mary E. Lewis
September 15, 1948 — September 12, 2012
Mary Elizabeth Lewis, 63, of Harlingen, TX, passed away September 12, 2012, at Valley Baptist Medical Center after a short illness.
Mary was born in Detroit, MI, on September 15, 1948, to the late James J. and Dorothy C. Paris.
Mary was a life-long educator who passionately believed in ensuring educational opportunities were afforded to all. She was relentless in her pursuit to help others but rarely asked anything for herself. Mary was a beloved, daughter, sister, wife, mother and aunt who will be grieved by all who survived her.
She joined the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District in 1986 as a homebound teacher. Two years later she became the Reading Coordinator and later the Special Education Coordinator for the District. She retired in 2010.
Before joining the Harlingen schools Mary worked at the Rio Grande State Center in Harlingen as the director of education and had taught for one year at the Point Isabel Middle School.
Prior to coming to Texas she had been with the Indianapolis Public Schools as a teacher and administrator for five years. She also taught for three years with the Department of Defense Schools Europe.
Mary also taught speech as an adjunct professor for over 20 years at Texas State Technical College Harlingen and at the University of Texas, Brownsville.
Mary earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1970 from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. In 1981 she received a Masters of Science degree from Butler University in Indianapolis, and in 1987 she earned a Masters of Education degree from what is now the University of Texas Pan American.
She also attended American University in Washington, DC, and the University of Houston.
Mary was the first women to join the Harlingen Jaycees and was active in that organization for many years.
Survivors include her husband Frank Kimball Lewis of Harlingen, her son Frank Kimball Lewis, Jr (Nicole) of Houston, her brother James John Paris II (Natalie) of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, nephew, Christopher John Paris of Austin, niece, Whitney Sinclair Paris of Fort Worth, and Mother-in-law, Lillian Joyce Lewis of Dallas.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 15, at the Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home Chapel, 710 Ed Carey Drive, Harlingen, Texas, 78550 with Rev. Chris Hall officiating. Burial will follow at the Mont Meta Memorial Park in San Benito.
Visitation will be held at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 14, 2012 with the family will be present to receive friends from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Mary was born in Detroit, MI, on September 15, 1948, to the late James J. and Dorothy C. Paris.
Mary was a life-long educator who passionately believed in ensuring educational opportunities were afforded to all. She was relentless in her pursuit to help others but rarely asked anything for herself. Mary was a beloved, daughter, sister, wife, mother and aunt who will be grieved by all who survived her.
She joined the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District in 1986 as a homebound teacher. Two years later she became the Reading Coordinator and later the Special Education Coordinator for the District. She retired in 2010.
Before joining the Harlingen schools Mary worked at the Rio Grande State Center in Harlingen as the director of education and had taught for one year at the Point Isabel Middle School.
Prior to coming to Texas she had been with the Indianapolis Public Schools as a teacher and administrator for five years. She also taught for three years with the Department of Defense Schools Europe.
Mary also taught speech as an adjunct professor for over 20 years at Texas State Technical College Harlingen and at the University of Texas, Brownsville.
Mary earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1970 from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. In 1981 she received a Masters of Science degree from Butler University in Indianapolis, and in 1987 she earned a Masters of Education degree from what is now the University of Texas Pan American.
She also attended American University in Washington, DC, and the University of Houston.
Mary was the first women to join the Harlingen Jaycees and was active in that organization for many years.
Survivors include her husband Frank Kimball Lewis of Harlingen, her son Frank Kimball Lewis, Jr (Nicole) of Houston, her brother James John Paris II (Natalie) of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, nephew, Christopher John Paris of Austin, niece, Whitney Sinclair Paris of Fort Worth, and Mother-in-law, Lillian Joyce Lewis of Dallas.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 15, at the Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home Chapel, 710 Ed Carey Drive, Harlingen, Texas, 78550 with Rev. Chris Hall officiating. Burial will follow at the Mont Meta Memorial Park in San Benito.
Visitation will be held at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 14, 2012 with the family will be present to receive friends from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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