Erin Catherine Barry Teare, (Mrs. Joseph Maxwell, Sr.) of Beaumont, died late Saturday evening, May 9, 2009 at her Drummond Street home of fifty-four years, from the attritions of a full and rich life of nearly 93 years.
Erin Barry Teare was born August 26, 1916 at home, the third child and second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Redmond Barry, Sr. the former native of Grand Coteau, Louisiana, the latter, nee Eleanor Cunningham, of Braidwood, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. With the exception of the first five years of her marriage, which were spent in Liberty, Texas, she was a lifelong resident of Beaumont.
Perhaps the singular experience, and achievement, of her youth was becoming an accomplished ballerina, mentored as well as taught, by the Sproule sisters, Ann and Judith. The Sproule sisters were nationally known for their expertise in instructing and guiding young dancers. Under their tutelage from age three to age sixteen, she reached the point where at twelve; she danced a series of duets with Judith Sproule in Houston, Texas that was recognized as a superior performance. Both sisters were of the opinion that, “if Erin had been willing to dedicate her life to ballet, she would have performed on the great stages of the world. She wasn’t willing to do that, and wisely ceased to study.”
Ranking third in her class, Erin graduated in 1933 from St. Anthony High School. She then attended Incarnate Word College in San Antonio. An extraordinarily beautiful and charming woman, in her freshman year she was the Incarnate Word Duchess to the first Cotton Ball held at Texas A&M University.
Her education, and especially the influence of her Jesuit educated father, provided her with a lifelong love of learning. This was passed along to her children as well as the crucial understanding that disciplined study, knowledge and perhaps, a modicum of wisdom are inseparable. Both Erin and her husband also imparted a love of books and of that profound and mysterious act of reading, by which we reach outside and beyond ourselves.
Her life was rooted in a fierce dedication and loyalty to her Catholic faith, her family and her friends. It was a life she constantly strove to bring into greater conformity with the teachings of Christ. She consistently sought to increase her purchase upon the primary Christian virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, and through prayer and meditation, she increasingly realized that that purchase chiefly comes from seeking justice and mercy in this world where little or none exists. Erin was an avid supporter of her community through the Junior League of Beaumont where she served on the board of Family Services and at her church as the treasurer of St. Anne’s Ladies, the Altar Society, CCD teacher and the unofficial photographer of the school newspaper. She was an indefatigable supporter of too many missions to mention, and on her desk is a quote from Mother Theresa: “Seek out the poor, the lonely, the hungry and the thirsty. It is there that you will find Jesus.”
Until her death, she was the oldest living parishioner to have been baptized at St. Anthony Cathedral. She was confirmed there, and there, on September 8, 1937, she and Joseph Maxwell Teare united themselves in marriage according to the rubrics of the Roman Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony. At that event she was inextricably joined to the man who not only became her husband of fifty and a half years, but was the love of her life, as she was of his. It was finally impossible to imagine either of them with anyone else.
Erin was acutely aware of her flaws and fallibilities, which she largely conquered, mainly through prayer, but also with her wonderful gift of laughter and her love of parties. She welcomed every opportunity to enjoy the delights of celebration, regardless of the occasion. The birthdays of her six children, ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren were closest to her heart.
Resolutely American, though never unthinkingly, she was proud of and nurtured her Irish heritage throughout her life, and several very slightly altered lines from the great twentieth century poem by W.H. Auden,
In Memory of W.B. Yeates
will convey at least some of the deep feelings that all who knew her had for her, as we say Godspeed:
“Earth received an honored guest;
Erin Teare is laid to rest:
Let the Irish vessel lie
emptied of its poetry.”
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Maxwell Teare, Sr.; twin sons, Patrick and Michael Teare; parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.R. Barry, Sr.; brother, John Joseph Barry and Cecilia Mary Barry (Sister M. Gerard, O.P.)
Survivors include her children, Chris Teare, Erin Teare Rienstra, John Barry Teare, Joseph Maxwell Teare, Jr. and his wife Gay, Kathleen McDade Teare, and Bridget Hain Teare; grandchildren, Bridget Ellen Rienstra Brinson, Erin Barry Rienstra, Kathleen McDade Rienstra, Lauren and Sean Barry Teare, Eleanor Teare and Glenn Arthur Pike, Hannah McDade Teare, Jacquelyn and Joshua Maxwell Teare, Kate Cunningham Teare and Rick Lee Whatley, Sara Bonifay Teare, and Megan McDade Teare; and great-grandchildren, Stephen Ingram Brinson, Harley Kate Whatley, Casey Leigh Whatley, Lindsey Charlene Whatley,Jaden Maxwell Teare and Blaine William Teare; and siblings, Hannah Lee Barry Hagan and David Redmond Barry, Jr.
The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Margaret Baltimore, Opal Truvillion, Amber Guillory and Pauline Wiltz, who began as caretakers, and ended as devoted friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 2009 at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica with the Very Reverend Jeremiah J. McGrath, officiating. Interment will follow at Magnolia Cemetery under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont with John Barry Teare, Sean Barry Teare, Joshua Maxwell Teare, David Redmond Barry, Jr., Shawn Patrick Hagan, Rick Lee Whatley, Glenn Arthur Pike, Stephen Ingram Brinson, Jason Sewell Croley and Chris Teare serving as pallbearers. A Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. with a gathering of her family and friends to follow until 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at the family home, 1335 Drummond, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, P.O. Box 3309, Beaumont, Texas 77704 or to Some Other Place, 1240 McFaddin, Beaumont, Texas, 77701.
