Mary Frances Walton

Born April 14, 1948, to Charles Leonard and Jeanette R. Lane Walton in Wichita Falls, Texas.

She went to be with the Lord on August 07, 2024, in Houston, Texas.

In her youth she was active in many endeavors. She was especially active in 4-H where she received multiple accolades, awards and merits. She attended the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Wichita Falls until its closing in 1966. She, along with other classmates transferred to Notre Dame High School. She graduated there at the top of her class in 1966. It was during these years that she made several lifelong friends that she was still in contact with until recent times.

Graduating in 1980 from Midwestern State University with a BA in speech Communications and minor of English. She was proud to be a Chi Omega chair and member and maintained a lifelong status in her sorority. She was also immensely proud to be a Midwestern State University Indian before the change to Mustangs.

In 1980 she began working in her first of many positions to help others. 1980 she was pleased to work with OHOYO a National Indian women's project. This position took her to Oregon and Hawaii and back to Texas.

In 1985 she was the Volunteer Coordinator for Interfaith Ministries of Wichita Falls.

1986-88 she was the Executive Director of the YWCA in Wichita Falls.

1992 she was a contract service employee of Amoco of Houston.

In 1995 until her retirement, she worked for Amoco which later became BP in Houston as a Technical Specialist in Geosciences. She received multiple awards and recognitions during her tenure there.

Volunteering was second nature to Fran. She volunteered in many aspects of her life and in many ways including a few such as two term Board Chair Domestic Violence Center. Two term President region wide in a women's church group. Local HQ coordinator, US Senate campaign. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Court # 309 in Wichita Falls, which her grandmother Augusta Lane was a charter member of this court. She was Catholic Daughter Regent 2 terms, and Catholic Daughter of the Year in 1985. She served as a Eucharistic Minister and Lectern in the Catholic churches that she attended and became a member, the latest was St. Bartholomew in Houston.

With all her accolades and accomplishments, the best was yet to come in her life. In 1991 due to a family need she chose to move to Houston not to replace anyone but to help her young niece, Kristina. She watched her grow up into the responsible, beautiful woman she became. She "gave her away" when Kristina married her husband Brent Berg in 2009. She was so excited to become a Gammy for the first time when Everett was born in 2011, then again when Camden was born in 2014. These four made her a family of which was her proudest of all her achievements. She loved them to the deepest depths of her heart.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Brother, Charles James Walton and his wife JoAnn Essler Walton, Sister, Carol Jeanette Walton Sipe and her husband Robert Sipe, Brother-in-law, Bobby Shawn, Nephews, Michael Lee Shawn and Charles Stephen Walton.

She is survived by her sister, Gloria Jo Walton Shawn of Euless, Texas, and her brother Alfred (A.G.) Walton and his wife Susan of Lakeside City, Texas.

All her nieces and nephews will miss her dearly because she was that "free spirit" aunt, loving us unconditionally and always teaching us something, but cool at the same time. She even drove Jimmy Carter the soon to be 39th president once for the day when he came to Wichita Falls for a visit!

She was a die-hard Astros fan and loved the Dallas Cowboys!