Mary Ann Edwards

Mary Ann was born on October 12, 1934, in Beaumont. She was the youngest child of Ina Fay Siebenthal Minton and Fred Norman Minton. Mary Ann’s big brother, Fred, left to fight in the Pacific when she was 8 years old. He returned home after the war was won.

Mary Ann enjoyed growing up in Beaumont surrounded by her many friends especially “The 13 Girls Club” with childhood best friend Martha Turner, Sarah Wilson, and Joanna Matthews, among many others. She especially enjoyed taking her friends to movies at the Jefferson Theater where her father served as manager. The highlight of young Mary Ann’s year was her birthday party at the Jefferson where her Dad would host private screenings for her friends. Particularly memorable was “The Yearling” shown on Mary Ann’s twelfth birthday. There was not a dry eye left in the house.

Mary Ann often spoke fondly of her childhood friendships with Jerry Klein and Robert Hooker. They were an inseparable trio and remained lifelong friends enjoying many happy times into adulthood with their respective spouses and families.

Mary Ann attended Averill Elementary School and Dick Dowling Middle School before graduating from Beaumont High School. After a summer semester at Lamar State College, she attended The University of Texas at Austin where she majored in English. In addition to her studies, Mary Ann enjoyed a varied social life at the University. She was a proud member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. In her spare time she augmented her wardrobe by working at a retail clothing store enjoying the employee discount.

After returning from Austin, Mary Ann began work at Beaumont’s First Security Bank in the Proof Department. Outside of work she continued what would be a lifelong commitment to volunteerism by working as an “unwed Den Mother” with the Cub Scouts and also with The United Way.

Mary Ann soon began dating Lum Caswell Edwards, Jr. a young businessman who had recently served his country as a First Lieutenant in post war France. After a first date of dancing at a “Honky Tonk” on Fannett Road, Mary Ann knew she had found the man with whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life. Within a year Lum proposed, beginning fifty-seven years of marital bliss.

As young newlyweds, Mary Ann and Lum had an active and fun filled social life enjoying  outings at dinner clubs, dances, and regular parties including revolving poker games with dear friends Martha and Buddy Foxworth, Jean and Dewey Gonsoulin, Suzy and Teddy Bruce and Peggy, and A.D. Moore to name but a few.

In 1960, Mary Ann and Lum welcomed the arrival of son Lum, III. The twins, Mary Catherine and Allison Ann followed soon thereafter in 1963. The Edwards home on Estate Drive was a happy one filled with love and the laughter of children. The music of Broadway musicals such as Cabaret, Music Man, and Mame were constantly on the record player. Magic shows and “impromptu” dance numbers were a regular occurrence at family gatherings. Mary Ann especially loved Halloween, when she would decorate the house and dress up as a witch and pass out punch and candy. The Edwards house was the center of activity for the neighborhood children. Croquet in the front yard and kickball games in the cul-de-sac were ongoing with Mary Ann cheering the kids on.

Summer saw the family enjoying afternoons at the Country Club pool and vacations driving across Texas in the Edwards’ station wagon. Many happy hours were also spent swimming and crabbing each year at the beach, with the Foxworth and Klein families.

Once her children started school, Mary Ann resumed her volunteer work with the Junior League of Beaumont. She especially enjoyed working on the annual Horse Show fundraiser and the Tennis Tournament of the Stars where she rubbed elbows with celebrities such as Robert Duval, Davy Jones and Peter Graves. Mary Ann delighted in being able to introduce her son to his childhood hero, TV’s Batman, Adam West. Her time with the Junior League also allowed Mary Ann to fulfill a longtime ambition when in 1973 she co-hosted the local talk show, “State Welfare in Action”. In recognition, her children placed a hand-cut paper star on her bedroom door where it remained for years to come.

As Allison and Catherine’s high school years drew to a close, Mary Ann returned to the workforce. She spent several years proudly serving as the director of the Jefferson Theater Preservation Society where she oversaw the initial efforts to reinvigorate her father’s theater.

In 1983, Mary Ann had the opportunity to join the staff of Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth as the Director of Volunteer Services a position perfectly suited for her gifts. Mary Ann was proud to work with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and her dear friend, Assistant Administrator, Dorothy Yentzen. Her accomplishments were many. When she began, volunteers serviced only five areas in St. Elizabeth. Mary Ann successfully grew her department to see volunteers working in over fifty areas of the hospital contributing more than 55,000 hours each year. She established St. Elizabeth’s first Junior Volunteer program. Putting her journalistic skills to the test, Mary Ann also wrote and edited the hospital’s monthly newsletter “The Rose”. In 1997, she launched the Health Adventures Program. An outgrowth of Secretary of State General Colin Powell’s national “America’s Promise” campaign, the Health Adventures initiative gave economically disadvantaged middle school students the opportunity to work in a Health Care environment. One of Mary Ann’s proudest moments came when, at her invitation, General Powell visited Beaumont and spent time with her students discussing their goals and dreams for the future.  In 1998, St. Elizabeth recognized Mary Ann’s achievements by promoting her to the position of Director of Public and Community Relations.  She proudly served in that capacity until her retirement in 2006.

After retirement Mary Ann’s focus turned to her beloved husband and family. She loved family outings and doting on her grandchildren. It was important to Mary Ann and Lum that their grandchildren have fond memories of happy times with their grandparents. She made a point of establishing an annual tradition of taking the entire family on vacation. Trips to Disney World, Vail, New Orleans, San Antonio and Austin will always be treasured memories for Mary Ann’s children and grandchildren.

Mary Ann and Lum enjoyed their own adventures taking trips to New York, Washington DC, New Orleans, Cancun, London, Switzerland and Hawaii. They especially loved their annual pilgrimage to their “holy land”, Napa. Mary Ann and Lum looked forward to their annual springtime trip to California’s Wine Country where they stayed in the same suite at the Silverado Country Club, enjoyed lunch at the Culinary Institute of America, tasted wine at the Opus One and Regusci vineyards and savored dinner at Bistro Don Giovanni. Known by name to hotel and winery staff, Mary Ann and Lum were a springtime fixture in Napa.

Lifelong friends were a priority to Mary Ann. She and Lum enjoyed the monthly meetings of the “First Wives Club” and regular lunches and dinners with a wide circle of friends. Always one to stay in touch, Mary Ann was an inveterate writer of notes and cards reaching out to friends who had left the area. She regularly spent hours on the phone checking in and reminiscing with distant friends.

Throughout her life, Mary Ann was an animal lover. Over the years she was a proud “mom” to her dogs Snowball, Ricky, Rattler, Harry, Gardenia, and Tiger. Unable to stand the thought of any dog going hungry, Mary Ann kept a large bag of dog food in the trunk of her car feeding unwanted animals across the city.

A devotee of the writings of Norman Vincent Peale and Dr. Wayne Dyer, Mary Ann focused on the power of positive thought. She taught her children and grandchildren that it was important to focus on the good in this world. Mary Ann was an encourager and a mentor to many. She stressed the importance of treating others with respect. “It is more important to be kind than to be right,” Mary Ann would say.

A loving and extraordinary woman, Mary Ann made the world a better place. She always looked for the best in others never passing up the opportunity to serve. “The idea of giving has always been a calling. I have always felt a responsibility to give something back to other people who are less fortunate than I for whatever reason,” Mary Ann noted. “It’s a privilege to help.”

Mary Ann’s spirit will live on in the countless lives she touched throughout the years. She is irreplaceable and will never be forgotten by all who knew and loved her. If we all live by Mary Ann’s example, the world would be a kinder place.

Mary Ann is survived by her husband, Lum Caswell Edwards, Jr.; son, Lum Caswell Edwards III and his wife, Gerry; daughter, Allison Ann Edwards Brocato and her husband, Jim; grandchildren, Joseph Samuel Edwards and his wife, Leslie; James Andrew Edwards; Anna Elizabeth Brocato; and Catherine Ann Brocato;  niece, Seawillow Dixon Edwards; and nephew, Scott Minton and his wife, Shelly.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Fred Minton, Jr.; and beloved daughter, Mary Catherine Edwards.

A gathering of Mrs. Edwards’ family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 28, 2015, in the Parlor at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 1350 North 23rd Street, Beaumont.  Her funeral service will be 1:00 p.m., Thursday, October 29, 2015, at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, with interment to follow at Magnolia Cemetery, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mary Ann’s memory to Humane Society of Southeast Texas, P.O. Box 1629, Beaumont, Texas 77704 or Southeast Texas Food Bank, 3835 South Martin Luther King Parkway, Beaumont, Texas 77705.