Mary Emma Rayburn

Mary Emma Rayburn April 14, 1920 - March 12, 2007 Mary Emma Rayburn, 86, was called home to be with her Lord on Monday, March 12, 2007. A Memorial Service will be held in her honor at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church Chapel. The family will be available for visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m. prior to the service. Mary was born on April 14, 1920 in Bosqueville, TX to Robert Wortham Woodward and Julia Anna Potter Woodward. There she met and married her beloved husband, Alvin, on February 11, 1940. They were blessed with their only son, Robert Wayne Rayburn, on March 5, 1956. After graduating from high school, Mary briefly attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas. She graduated from Baylor in 1964 with a Master’s Degree in Education. Mary was employed by Waco Independent School District for over 20 years. During that time, she taught various age children in elementary school. However, she particularly enjoyed her work in Special Education, Math and Spanish. Mary filled her retirement years with many volunteer activities at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, her church home for almost 25 years. She loved both children and art, and she used her talents to teach Sunday school in the Children’s Department and to teach painting to adults. Her creativity was also revealed in the many table decorations she planned for church events. Mary and Alvin participated in many programs at the church, including Meals on Wheels and the annual mission trip. Mary helped plan and prepare the wonderful meals enjoyed by those involved in the mission project. They opened their hearts and home to young people in their church family by “adopting” members of the International and College Departments. Many of these “adoptees” have remained in contact throughout the years. In 1997, Mary and Alvin were honored by the church by being named the Senior Adults of the Year. Mary loved to travel. She and Alvin visited Israel with the church, but also went on several organized tours. While in Europe, they visited England, Holland, Spain and France. Peru was Mary’s favorite trip, but she and Alvin also made two trips to Alaska. Mary is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Alvin; sister, Julia Anna Rayburn; and brothers, Robert, Preston and Gus Woodward. Her survivors include her son, Robert Rayburn and wife, Kathy; her grandson, John Glud and wife; Angie; her granddaughter, Lauren Glud; her great-granddaughter, Savannah Garrett; her sister, Theresa Cross; her brother, Gene Woodward; brother-in-law, Everette Rayburn; and numerous loving nieces, nephews and friends. The family would like to express heartfelt gratitude to Mary’s caregivers—Rosie Garcia, Jerri King and Mary Lawson; and to Dr. Horace Hinson, Bluebonnet Hospice and Texas Home Health Hospice for their loving and compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Columbus Baptist Church Adult Mission Fund. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey