Mary Evelyn Gaffney

Born on August 20, 1937 in Gladewater, Texas to James Pierce and Mary Ruth McClurkin.

Her father, JP McClurkin, worked for the same crude oil pipeline company for 50 years and as such was transferred and promoted to several different pipeline pump stations over that career. Mary was born while Mr. Mac was stationed at the Longview, TX. pump station. He was later transferred to the pump station located in Oxford, MS where Mary spent her high school days.

She graduated from University High School in Oxford where she was a cheerleader, a class leader and a very popular student. She spent her freshman year in college at Ole Miss, a place she remembers well and has returned to on a number of occasions.

Her father was then transferred back to Longview, TX which was the home office of the Mid Valley Pipeline Company, owned by Sun Oil and Sohio. He suggested that she find a school within the state of Texas where the tuition was a little less.

Mary transferred to Texas Christian University (TCU) from which she graduated in three and a half years with a degree in Elementary Education in 1959. She was able to get this degree somewhat early by taking summer classes at the Univ. of Colorado and the Univ. of Texas in Austin. She added a MS degree in Elem. Education from the University of Houston in 1986.

While attending summer classes at the Univ. of Texas she met Jerry Gaffney. She was coming out of a store with rolled up maps under her arm and he asked her the famous question "watcha got there ?". He was enrolled in some graduate classes while awaiting his turn to go to Officers Candidate School in the US Marine Corps. He was living in a new apartment and wanted to get some pictures to hang on the walls. That started a conversation that lasted over 59 years.

That was in the summer of 1957 and the beginning of a long distance courtship. She at TCU in Fort Worth, TX . and he at various places in the USMC.

They were married on June 5, 1959 and spent a honeymoon in Mexico City. Shortly thereafter, she began teaching in the Houston School System and Jerry went off the various schools associated with his assignment with 1st Force Recon Company stationed at Camp Pendleton in Southern California.

Their first son, Gregory Scott Gaffney was born in Houston in October of 1960 and their twins, Michael Clark and Melinda Kay Gaffney were born in March of 1962.

During the Vietnam war, when Jerry was away, Mary spent time in Houston with Jerry's family. She was a stay at home Mom during most of those early years and then went back to teaching in the Katy Independent School District where she spent 21 years at Wolfe Elementary. She was a dedicated teacher and won Teacher of the Year on several occasions. She loved teaching and it is safe to say she was one of the favorite teachers for most of her students.

They lost their daughter Melinda to Osteosarcoma, a somewhat rare bone cancer, in 1998. She passed away at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, TX. This battle with that cancer was lengthy and involved massive doses of toxic chemotherapy. This was a difficult time and left a lasting memory on Mary and Jerry and played a major role in some of the decisions made when Mary was later diagnosed with cancer.

In 1999 she and Jerry bought a summer home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. This was located in a gated community known as Hound Ears Club. Their home was located on the golf course and while Jerry played golf Mary spent time enjoying the summer scenery, the cooler weather and the many friends that also had summer homes there. When they officially retired in 2002 they would spent 4 to 5 months every year there and it still remains one of their favorite places in all of the world.

Mary was an avid reader and always had at least one book open at all times. She had always had an interest in the Civil War and books on that subject were always a high priority. She was well traveled having toured Europe on two occasions and accompanied Jerry on trips to Japan, Canada, Mexico and many of the major cities in the U.S.

As exciting as the reading and traveling were nothing compared to the excitement she experienced with the birth of the triplets to Son Greg and his wife Joline. Gwendolyn, Rex and Jack were born seven years ago and Mary (AKA Memom) would take or create opportunities to be with the children. It was normal to have at least one of the three at the house spending the night and getting to sleep with Memom. There was always the little shopping trips and the mandatory book reading at bed time. Every school activity or athletic event could not go on lest Memom was there.

Mary was diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer in March of 2016. She was 78 at the time, had always been in good health and in her words had lived a good life. This and the memory of what Melinda went through made her decline treatment with toxic chemotherapy.

This modified the living conditions and greatly altered plans . One of the plans was a trip to the Hawaiian Islands with the children. The next seven months were not normal but Mary was able to be up, around and doing most of the things she wanted to do, both in and out of the house. She was still having the children over and there was still some overnights.

As she was growing weaker and weaker in the month of November she still wanted to see the triplets. It was very sad to hear her talk about not being able to see and be with the grandchildren for much longer.

Mary was respected by all and loved by most. No one ever had anything bad to say about Mary. Jerry said one time "he made the friends and Mary kept them". He was also known to say that she was always where she was supposed to be, doing what she was supposed to be doing and doing it when she was supposed to be doing it. And he approved of it all the time.

Throughout this eight month ordeal Mary and Jerry's sister in law, Patricia McClurkin was constantly in attendance helping in any way needed. A true "god send" to the family. Patricia was married to Phillip McClurkin, Mary's only sibling, a brother ten years younger. Phillip passed away in 2014 and Patricia moved from the Fort Worth area to the Del Webb community near Mary and Jerry so that she and Mary could be together. Mary's diagnosis altered the plans significantly but it didn't alter the relationship. In fact it made the relationship even stronger. Thanks is not adequate to express the gratitude the family has for the role that Patricia played during this trying period.

In addition, there is a strong feeling of gratitude for the manner in which Silverado Hospice attended to Mary. A specific thanks goes out to Crystal Thielen-Harris, Carol Brown and Lorelei Sinclair, nurses that were treating her over an eight month period. And, as is always the case, they grew to respect and love Mary.

The support and expression of feelings was almost overwhelming. She was fortunate to have so many good friends. As one of them said on a recent visit, "she earned them". The family is extremely grateful for the visits, the food and of utmost importance, the concern.

Even though Mary's passing is a great loss to the family, it as an opportunity for her to be with her daughter Melinda. We all hope to be able to join then one of these days.

Arrangements under the direction of NEPTUNE SOCIETY - Houston, Houston, TX.