Mary Louise Herbert

HERBERT, LOUISE Mary Louise Herbert, 89, died peacefully Sunday, May 1, 2005 after a long and full life. Services will be held at 3:30pm Thursday, May 5 at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 305 N. 30th, Waco, with the Rev. Janne Osborn officiating. Interment will follow at China Spring Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6-8pm Wednesday, May 4 at 2318 Oak Cliff Drive, Waco. Louise was born in Pinetree Longview, Texas on July 18, 1915 to Collie and Lutie Magrill. After graduating from Lufkin High School, she attended Satterwhite Business College in Lufkin and became secretary to her future husband, Robert L. Bob Herbert. Louise and Bob married on June 9, 1934 and celebrated 54 years of marriage before Bob’s death in 1988. During their marriage they lived in Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Seguin, Baytown, Olympia, Washington and Meridian, Mississippi before moving to Waco in 1954 for Bob to direct the local United Way. From their long marriage came five children, and for Louise nothing surpassed the importance of her family. She will be remembered for being a model of selflessness, compassion, inclusiveness, social justice and tireless care-giving. She was a person who valued time with family and friends over all else. After raising her five children, Louise worked for Urban Renewal and the City of Waco. She greatly enjoyed her work and often spent her hours after work typing term papers, travel journals, collections of letters and even dissertations for colleagues and family. Louise’s love for children did not stop with her own. She always had “extra” children under her wings – keeping those of a sick friend, foster parenting, housing exchange students or college students away from home. Her ability to prepare a meal for a crowd on a minute’s notice was unsurpassed. She loved carrying as many children as she could fit into her car for an afternoon swim or picnic. Louise loved the arts, music and dance and wanted all children to have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in these activities. She spent countless hours accompanying her children, grandchildren, neighborhood children and others to musical events. When not attending an event, her favorite pastime was to watch “her children” dance and sing in her own living room. Louise was a long-time member of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church where she enjoyed her membership in the Altar Guild. She also volunteered for years cooking for Meals on Wheels, assisting in the library at the V.A. hospital, donating blood to the American Red Cross and helping with mailings at Planned Parenthood. Survivors include sons, Robert Herbert and wife, Suzanne of Valley Mills, Steve Herbert and wife, Peggy of China Spring, David Herbert and wife, Rita of San Antonio and John Herbert and wife, Toni of Waco; daughter, Pamela Smallwood and husband, Roy of Waco; ten grandchildren, Russell Herbert, Leigh Crawshaw and husband, Bill, Christopher Herbert and wife, Ginny, Debbie Burroughs and husband, Kyle, Mike Herbert and wife, Donna, Jessica Flowers, Jonah Herbert, Micah Diaz and husband, Ron, Kate Smallwood and Emily Smallwood; 13 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild and one sister, Corinne Dearmond of Henderson, Texas. The family would like to express our deep admiration and love to Louise’s “angel”, companion and caretaker, Connie Richman who performed great miracles to add to the quality of Louise’s later life. Thank you also to the staff of Quality Care Nursing Home and Hillcrest Hospice. Pallbearers will be her grandsons and great grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Ted Talbot, Maurice Labens and Pat Patillo. Louise made a special request that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the United Way of Waco, Planned Parenthood of Central Texas or St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. The family invites you to leave a memory or message in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON HATCH BAILEY