Mary Bain Haralson Pearson

Mary Bain Haralson Pearson (Mrs. Gary Pinkney Pearson, Jr.), beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on Saturday, the 6th of April 2024, at the age of 92. She has been surrounded daily by her family for the past ten years as they have cared for her.

Mary Bain was born on the 18th of July 1931, in Houston, in the old Methodist Hospital on San Jacinto Street. She was the daughter of the late James A. and Mary Bain Haralson, and the granddaughter of the late Stonewall Jackson and Winifred Parker Bain, all from Houston. As a fourth generation Texan and a lifelong resident of Houston, Mary Bain attended The Kinkaid School (as did her children and grandchildren), where she graduated as part of the original Richmond Guard with many of her lifelong friends.

Mary Bain studied at The University of Texas at Austin at a time when the School of Television was held in the two stalls of the carriage house behind the Littlefield Mansion and also hosted her own radio talk show, which aired in San Antonio and Austin. She graduated from The University of Texas, having earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Radio, Television & Film.

While at the University, Mary Bain met and fell in love with a young legislator named Gary “G.P.” Pearson. After her presentation at Allegro in 1953 and a wonderful courtship, Mary Bain married G.P. at Christ Church Cathedral on the 10th of April 1954, where her parents and grandparents had both been married. After 43 years of a very happy marriage filled with family, love, laughter, and lots of traveling, G.P. passed away in 1997.

Mary Bain exemplified service to her community. She served twice as the President of the Ladies Parish Association at Christ Church Cathedral, as a Docent for many years at Bayou Bend, on the Harris County grand jury three times, and on the Advisory Board of the Bryan City Cemetery Association (where five generations of the family are buried). She was also a proud member of The Kinkaid Alumni Advisory Board; one of the founding members and a former president of the Antique Study Group; and a Board Member of the Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas. Mary Bain’s proudest achievement serving her community was acting as a President and Board Member of the Holly Hall Retirement Community for over 50 years, one of her dearest and lifelong projects that she watched blossom into the community it is today. Mary Bain testified in Washington, D.C. as an individual investor in Enron’s demise in 2002. After her interview in front of the Senate Commerce Committee, TV stations as far away as England and Holland sought her for comment.

Mary Bain loved all of her family very much, often declaring that “family is everything”. She ensured that her children grew up in a house full of love, care, and laughter. She made sure that her family ate together at the dinner table every night, sometimes serving her signature enchiladas and queso. She was very involved in her children’s lives, attending their school and extracurricular events.

Because she felt family to be so important, she had a strong interest in genealogy and spent years researching the family history, traveling to see old family homes and to find cemetery markers. These endeavors culminated with her authoring a beautiful book about her family which she distributed to her children.

Mary Bain also did not hesitate to open her doors and bring others into the fold, whether it was inviting someone to the family Christmas dinner or delivering surprise Christmas presents to other families’ doorsteps. She would also turn the front yard into the neighborhood football field so everyone could spend the afternoons playing together. This sense of community extended to Halloween, when she created a ‘Spook House’ that the entire neighborhood could come enjoy as they trick-or-treated.

Mary Bain had an incredibly vivacious personality, with a witty sense of humor and a contagious smile. Her famous Christmas cards reflected her creative flair and funny side. Some of her cards featured Mary Bain with her face carved onto Mt. Rushmore, competing in a roller derby event, sky diving, tap dancing with the Rockettes, and even riding on a motorcycle—all in her 80’s!

Mary Bain is survived by her three beloved children, Gary Pinkney Pearson III, James Haralson Pearson and his wife, Gina, and her daughter Mary Bain Pearson Pitts and her husband, John; her three granddaughters, Kristin Moore Pearson, Dr. Elizabeth Bain Pearson, and Megan Haralson Pearson; and their mother, Gayle Shadowens and her husband, Jim. She is also survived by her cousin, Mrs. Thomas Sanderson of Austin and the Hinnant and the Wheeler families. She is predeceased by her cousin, Winifred Bain Wheeler Hinnant.

Mary Bain’s passing leaves an irreplaceable emptiness in the hearts of her devoted family and she will be forever missed. Her family mourns her loss but revels in the many happy memories of a true lady from “the old school” who exhibited grace, dignity, and happiness at every stage of her life. She always woke up with a smile on her face.

The family extends its great appreciation to those who cared for Mary Bain, including; Dr. Holly Holmes, Dr. David McPherson, Dr. Sean Savitz, Mona Patel N.P., and Lynn Cutrer from UT Health. The family also gives its love and endless gratitude to Blanca Cantor who has been with the family for over 10 years and cared for Mary Bain with her whole heart; and to Ana Caroli Roth and Celsa Menchú for their loving, caring and dedicated service.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 11th of April, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A funeral service is to be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 12th of April, at The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston, where The Right Reverend C. Andrew Doyle, The Reverend John R. Pitts, and The Reverend Lee Spruill will officiate. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in Sumner Hall. For those unable to attend the service in-person, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Mrs. Pearson’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the "Join Livestream" icon on the service section. While there you may also share fond memories and words of comfort and condolences with her family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers during Friday’s service are Frank Hinnant, Anne Hinnant Haller, Robert Hinnant, Olive Elaine Hinnant, Hank Hinnant, Dr. Jody Wheeler Deming, Mark Wheeler, Beth Walsh, Sam Wheeler, Molly Ammondson, Ed Stewart, Ardath Stewart, Karen Craig, Niculin Herz, and Pam Greenwood.

Honorary pallbearers are Judy Britton, Ida Jo Butler Grainger Moran, The Reverend Laurens A. Hall, and the board members of the Holly Hall Retirement Community.

The family will gather for a private interment at Bryan City Cemetery in Bryan, Texas, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions please be directed to The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77019; the Endowment fund of Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002; or to the charity of your choice.

Day may break and night may fall, but happy memories of Mary Bain will live on forever.