Mary Beth Kilborn

Mary Beth Kilborn passed away September 18, 2015. Mary was born October 2, 1955 to Walter and Madge Kilborn in San Antonio, Texas. She was born a beautiful, healthy baby girl with a round china doll face and beautiful black hair. Around the age of 3, she suffered from a brain tumor and underwent surgery. After two more tumors and a total of 3 surgeries, the last tumor was cancerous and more invasive. The last surgery removed half of her brain stem and left her mentally and physically disabled. She was 10 years old and the doctors thought she wouldn’t live past 15 years old but she amazed us all.

Mary finished her schooling at a HISD special school for disabled children and participated in a graduation ceremony at 21 years old. She was also involved in Easter Seals and attended a special camp for a week. She was in a Girl Scout troop for disabled girls and made some friends that she socialized with sometimes. Mary loved to travel with the family, go to the beach, go out to eat and go for long drives around Houston. She worked lots of jigsaw puzzles, played scrabble, watched movies and would laugh and giggle while watching Frazier with her sisters. She loved music and singing and knew the words to almost every song she heard more than once.

Mary didn’t realize it, but she was a special angel from heaven living among us. She lived through so much and never complained about anything. She taught all of us about the important things in life – unconditional love, patience, compassion, faithfulness. She came to do a job and she did it with great courage. She has left an impression on our hearts forever. Well done, good and faithful servant; you fought the good fight and now you are wearing your crown of glory. The family would like to thank Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services for the excellent care given to Mary the last 3 years; especially Terrie Simon and Gloria Walker.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Madge Kilborn. She is survived by her sisters Cindy Kilborn, Anne (Joe) Gruszka, and Jean Golladay (Richard); her nieces Kari (Eric) Buege, Sarah Gruszka, Hillary (Mike) Jackson, Katherine Golladay and her nephew Jeffrey Golladay; her great nephews Noah and Cole Buege; her aunt Arllys Drane and cousins Donnie Drane, Debbie Robison and Jackie Drane.

We will celebrate her amazing life on Thursday, November 5, 2015 at the Chapel at the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers the family requests donation to Wounded Warrior Project.