Mary Margaret Glenn- Franz

Mary was born in Frederick, Oklahoma on May 3, 1925. She was the daughter of Vance and Lavisa Lowry. Mary had two sisters, Billie Ruth and Louise. She graduated from elementary and junior high school in Frederick. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas on May 28, 1943. Her Father was working in the war industry in Port Arthur at that time.

Mary graduated from Sam Houston State with a degree in English and speech. Mary’s three roommates at college were so special they remained lifetime friends; Marie (Schrader) Stephenson, Marilyn (Henry) Franz and Jerry Ainsworth,

She met her first husband, Bill Walterman, on campus at Sam Houston after he had returned from serving as a pilot in World War II.

A leader all her life, Mary was active as an office in the Texas A&M Mothers Club and the Houston Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Several years after Bill Walterman’s death in a flying accident during the Korean War, Mary met and married William (Bill) Glenn from Cleveland, Texas. Mary and Bill Glenn moved to Bellaire, Texas in 1951. In 1961 they adopted their daughter, Allison Ann.

Mary and Bill Glenn were long time members of St. Philip’s Methodist Church. Mary was a teacher years ago when St. Phillip's operated an elementary school on its campus. Mary also taught Sunday school for a number of years.

Bill Glenn fell victim to Alzheimer’s disease in the mid 1980’s. Mary remained his primary caregiver until his death in 1992.

On May 27, 1995, she married Harvey Franz. She had known Harvey all of her adult life. Harvey had been married to Marilyn, one of Mary’s college roommates. Several years after Marilyn’s death, Harvey stopped in Houston on his way back to his home in North Carolina. His trips to Houston became more frequent. Harvey and Mary started a new chapter in their lives together. They traveled extensively to England, Canada and many parts of the United States. For several years, Mary and Harvey were on the volunteer staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital. She and Harvey also continued to be active members of St. Philip’s Methodist Church. One of the special joys of their lives was their participation in the Adult Sunday School Class at St. Philip’s.

Mary battled a number of health issues in the last years of her life, but she always had the constant support of her loving husband Harvey and her devoted son, Bill.

She died peacefully while attending a resident meeting at Clarewood House.

She is survived by her husband, Harvey A. Franz, Jr.; son and daughter-in-law Bill and Judy Walterman; daughter Allison Ann Ellisor and her husband Victor; Grandson Christopher Walterman and his wife, Robin; Great-Grandson Brant Walterman; niece Lisa Ottinger, and nephews, Eugene and Tom Kaufman.

Services for Mary will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, October 24, 2011 at the St. Philip’s United Methodist Church at 5501 Beechnut in Houston with viewing beforehand at 9:00 and a reception following. She will be buried on Tuesday, October 25 at the Cleveland Memorial Cemetery, Cleveland, Texas at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Clarewood Retirement Home, 7400 Clarewood Drive, Houston, Texas 77036.