Mary Helen Van Zandt

VAN ZANDT, MARY HELEN Mary Helen Wolf Van Zandt, 81 of Waco, died Tuesday, December 21, 2004 at a local hospital following a brief illness. Services will be held at 2:30pm Thursday, December 23 at First Baptist Church of Waco with the Rev. Dorisanne Cooper and the Rev. Sharlande Sledge officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial North. Mrs. Van Zandt’s hallmark was “…going around doing good, without our knowledge, says daughter Suzanne Durham. She was born in Gilmer, Texas January 3, 1923. Mary Helen’s parents were Ralph Raymond Wolf, coach of Baylor’s Immortal 10-basketball team and former Waco mayor, and mother Doris Sewell Wolf. She was a cum laude graduate of Baylor University. The Van Zandts are members of Lake Shore Baptist Church and former members of First Baptist Church. She served as a librarian in Waco high schools from 1962 until 1989, moving to Vanguard until the holidays. Fondly called “Granny” by students and faculty, she shared her sharp wit and talent for writing poetry. Her lifelong interest in literature led to serving on the McLennan County Library board and membership in the Robert Frost Museum in Vermont. Junior League membership was another service commitment. A buoyant personality, she was also an avid tennis player. Jack and Mary Helen married in 1946. She is remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her parents and brother, Ralph Raymond Wolf, Jr. preceded her in death. Survivors include husband, Jack; daughters, Katherine, and Michael Howard of Houston and their daughter Lauren and son Patrick, Janet Bass of Waco and her daughter Ashley, and Matt Anderson of Albuquerque, Suzanne and Hank Durham of Waco and their daughters Margaret and John Burk of New Jersey, and Julie and Darryl Zavodny of Austin, and daughter Suzanne and Sam Isenhower and their daughter Heather Wilson. Extended family includes relatives and their children: Ray Perry, Bruce Perry, Gene and Carol Perry, Elizabeth McGlasson, Neva Herring, Diane Ligon and Don and Elsa Loser. Pallbearers will be Bert King, James Lewis, Ralph Post, Tom Parrish, Richard Karr, Bud Gervig, Dan Mayfield, Ed Aigner, Edgar Jablonowski and Walter D. Hunter, Jr. Memorials may be made to Mission Waco or Friends for Life. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY