Mary Beth (Duke) Eubanks

Mary Beth (Duke) Eubanks of Austin, Texas died surrounded by family and friends on Tuesday, December 6, 2011. Mary was born in Texarkana, Texas on January 25, 1926 to Vida Elizabeth Briggs and Rodger Carter Duke. She grew up in McKinney, Texas with her sister Dorothy Ann (Duke) Dubitzky and Dot's twin brother, the late Col. Rodger Carter Duke, Jr. She attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas, graduating in 1947. Mary received her Masters Degree from the University of Houston in 1970.

Mary is survived by her husband of 63 years, Ted Lee Eubanks, Sr.; her children Ted Eubanks, Jr. and wife Virginia, Beth Beall and husband R.C. and Nancy Eubanks and husband Loren Bass; five grandchildren.

Mary taught kindergarten and first grade at St. Francis Episcopal Day School in Houston. She worked in a variety of Chapter 1 programs in Houston I.S. D.

Mary and Ted retired to Austin in 1990. In retirement, Mary volunteered as an ESL teacher at El Buen Samaritano. She volunteered at Trinity Center, St. David Episcopal Church's Outreach Center for the Homeless in downtown Austin and by reading stories to children at Casis Elementary and Travis Heights Elementary. "When I retired and moved to Austin, I told my colleagues in Houston that if I ever became lonely or bored, I'd gather up my picture books, find a circle of children and start reading. That's just what I did."

Funeral Services will be held at St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas at 2:00 pm on Friday, December 9, 2011.