Mary Frances Fisher

Mary Frances Blessitt was born October 25, 1940 to DV and Lucille Avant Blessitt in Boyle, Bolivar County, MS.

Mary was a vivacious, talented, beautiful, bright, patriotic, adventurer and fighter her entire life. She played the piano, saxophone and sang. In high school, Mary was selected to be in a special all-female band called The Bengal Debs, playing the saxophone for dances and other events. She competed for the title of Miss Orange and won; going on to compete in Beaumont for Miss Texas. In both, she played her unusual talent for a girl - the saxophone.

The bright 16-year-old graduated from Lutcher Stark High School in Orange a year early at age 16, 1957. Mrs. Stark presented her with a scholarship in music to Texas Women’s University. After a year, she went to Lamar University in Beaumont where she joined Kappa Delta sorority and became a cheerleader. She continued to keep up with all those friends throughout her life. She graduated from Lamar with a BS in Education.

The first teaching job for Mary was at Fort Bragg while her first husband, Mike Vaughn, was stationed there. Later she taught at Pasadena, Spring Branch and Alief school districts for 38 years. As Vice President of Alief TEA, she worked close with Texas leader Sam Blackman. She trained and took 5th grade math students to math contests. She retired from Alief’s Mahaney Elementary. Her family can testify she loved all children with passion and she hoped others learned kindness from her.

During the years, she took-in many family members to help them out in one way or another. She wants to be remembered as someone who loved her family and close friends with all her heart. She loved music with a passion and people with a wonderful sense of humor; however, her proudest moments were when her daughter and grandchildren were born.

Richard G. Fisher, MD married Mary Frances Blessitt Vaughn on March 22, 1986. The couple continued their love affair of water and sailboats. They were able to do the things they wanted to do with huge smiles and laughter: scuba diving, sailing, snow skiing, water skiing, cruises and traveling the world with friends.

While Mary was a member of many organizations during her lifetime, she proudly joined The Daughters of the American Revolution and Texas Republican Women of The Villages.

Mary is predeceased by her parents and several siblings: Donald (MS), Rodger (MS), Mike (Orange), Curtis (League City) and Jerald Blessitt (Orange).

She leaves her husband of 39 years, Dick Fisher; daughter, Michelle Gardner; her three children: Charles Gardner, Matthew Gardner and Mary Mendoza; and her great grandchildren: Mila and Liam Gardner. In addition, she leaves 3 step children: Rick Fisher (Clear Lake), Scott Fisher (AZ), and Cheryl Fisher Clark (Houston); and granddaughter Mykayla Clark (Houston).

Her siblings include: Odis Blessitt (League City), Larry Blessitt (Rosenberg) and Linda Kelly (Houston). She also leaves many nieces and nephews who all call her Tia - more than an Aunt, more like a younger and more energetic grandmother or good friend.

Donations can be left in Mary’s memory to Cy-Fair Helping Hands (cyfairhelpinghands.org) or Samaritans Purse (samaritanspurse.org).

A Celebration of Life will be held at Forest Park, Lawndale, Houston, TX on April 24, 2023 at 12:00 PM.