Mary Louise Wade

She was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas on the 3rd of February 1925, to Malcolm Young Henson and Effie Roberts Henson. She was a proud graduate of the University of Arkansas. She later moved to Dallas Texas, where she met and married Mack William Wade. She and Mack moved to Houston in 1957, where Mack spent the rest of his career as a Vice President of Mosher Steel. Mack and Mary Louise lovingly raised four happy children, and enjoyed 42 years of marriage. All four of their children graduated from The University of Texas in Austin.

Mary Louise taught the second grade in the inner city schools of HISD for 23 years. She was dedicated to her students and felt that each child deserved the best start in their education possible. She would often visit their homes to enlist the parent’s help, without regard to risk or economic situation. After retirement, she served as a docent at the Houston Museum of Natural Science for 15 years, where she especially loved leading elementary school tours. Mary Louise was a faithful member of Saint Philip Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she served on almost every committee – the Stephen Ministry, Prime Timers, Volunteer Receptionist, the Session, and Pastoral Search, to name a few.

Mary Louise loved to travel, whether it was a week at the beach in Galveston or in the Hill Country, or one of her trips to England, Italy, China or Alaska. She loved attending the Houston Pops and the Houston Symphony with her many friends. Family was everything to Mary Louise. She was the most loving, giving, kind, patient, understanding, and faithful wife, mother and friend God ever put on this earth. She will be missed by so many people whose lives were blessed and made richer by knowing, loving and be loved by her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mack William Wade; and by two of her sons, Tom Malcolm Wade and John William Wade. She is survived by her daughter Nancy Wade Essex and husband Grant; son, Mark Boyd Wade and wife, Julia. She leaves behind six grandchildren; Matthew Essex and wife, Shannon, Michael Essex, Allison Essex, Walker Wade, William Wade, and Leslie Wade. Great grandchildren, are Dayde Goforth, Brooklyn Navarro, and Sophie Grace Essex.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from half-past five o’clock in the afternoon until half-past seven o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 27th of May, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering in Houston.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 28th of May, at St. Philip Presbyterian Church, 4807 San Felipe Street in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception.

Prior to the service the family will have gathered for a private interment at Memorial Oaks Cemetery.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Mary Louise’s memory may be directed to the St. Philip Presbyterian Church, 4807 San Felipe Street, Houston, TX, 77056.