Mary Beth Bauer

Mary Beth Bauer was born on January 13, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois to Henry Xavier Huss and Elizabeth Weir Huss. She passed away at age 89 on May 24th at her home in Houston, surrounded by loving family. Mary Beth graduated from Sparta High School in Illinois. She attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where she met her future husband and the love of her life, William Howard Bauer. They were married on December 28, 1947. After giving birth to their first child, Hank, they moved to the Oak Forest area of Houston. Their family grew with the births of Lisa and Andrew. While the children were young, Mary Beth taught piano lessons, touching the lives of many young people. After her own children reached school age, Mary Beth returned to college to complete her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Houston.

She began her career as a secondary English teacher in Aldine ISD. While teaching, she continued her graduate work and earned her masters degree from Sam Houston State University. She became the Secondary Language Arts Consultant for Aldine ISD and then received her Doctorate in Education from the University of Houston in 1976.

Mary Beth spent a total of thirty years as a classroom teacher, a principal, a secondary language arts consultant in both Aldine ISD and at the Harris County Department of Education, and as a professor at Houston Community College, Sam Houston State University, Saint Thomas University, and the University of Houston. She also served on numerous textbook committees, won awards for promoting literacy, and coauthored many educational curriculum books.

In addition to her many contributions during her career in education, she also had an active role at both Oaks Christian Church and later at Cypress Creek Christian Church. She served as the first woman president of the Oaks Christian Church board. She also served on and chaired many committees. She was a Deaconess and an Elder and played the organ for several churches in the Oak Forest area. She also volunteered at the Cypress Creek Christian Church office for several years.

Mary Beth’s retirement was filled with many adventures. She traveled throughout Europe and the Holy Land, walked the Great Wall of China, and entered the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Giza. She stood at Stonehenge and sailed the Nile.

In the many roles of her life, Mary Beth was an exemplary person. She was a friend and teacher to many, but, most of all, she was a devoted and loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

She is survived by her son, Hank Bauer, and his wife, Judy; her daughter, Lisa Bauer Daimler, and her partner, Keith Bordelon; and her son, Andrew Bauer, and his wife, Cathy; Grandchildren: Lauren Patton and partner, Bennie Bynum, Becky Daimler, Amanda Bauer, Kimberly Daimler and husband, Mario Morales, Brad Bauer and partner, Chamille Kokojan, and Kaitlyn Bauer; four great-grandchildren, numerous brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, William H. “Bill” Bauer, her parents, her brother, John Huss, and her grandson, Cody Bauer.