Margaret Jean Marks

Born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas to Harold and Nettie Wood, and raised in El Dorado, Margaret Jean Wood Marks was a student leader, serving as newspaper editor, class president, Salutatorian, and Homecoming queen at El Dorado High in 1940.

Margaret Jean attended Baylor University, where she graduated with honors in 1944, in Art and English. She was an officer of Baylor’s Delta Alpha Pi local sorority and was a Baylor Beauty. She served as both the Permanent Class Secretary of the Class of 1944 and Editor of the Baylor Yearbook. She always loved singing “That Good Ol’ Baylor Line” and loved hearing family sing it to her until her last days.

Upon graduation she joined Tennessee Gas Company in Houston where she became one of the very first female vice presidents of the company, overseeing the design and layout of natural gas pipeline routes that would forever change its delivery across the United States.

She married William M. "Bill" Marks on September 13, 1947 at the First Baptist Church in El Dorado and and they were married for 62 years until his death in 2009. The family lived in Beaumont, Texas where she was active in many civic organizations, serving for years as president of PTA in various Beaumont schools, President of the Beaumont Art Museum, Chair of Puppetry Theater for the Junior League, Director of the Neches River Festival, and a member of Calder Baptist Church where she was a youth Sunday School teacher. The Lamar University chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority inducted her as an honorary initiate and she was an active supporter for many years. She loved to entertain and was known for hosting the most wonderful parties.

Margaret Jean loved children and art in all mediums and shared her passion by teaching private art lessons to hundreds of children in the Beaumont community for almost 20 years.

In 1973, the family moved to Houston where she was a member of River Oaks Baptist Church until 1977 and then Tallowood Baptist Church until present. She was active in her children's lives, serving as president of the Robert E. Lee High School PTA in 1974-75 and active in the Aggie Mom’s Club of Houston. Civically, she was active in the Junior League of Houston, the River Oaks Garden Club, the Briar Club, the Petroleum Club of Houston, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Slipper Club and was a former member of the Bluebird Circle. She loved the arts, music and travel. When Bill was on assignment in the Netherlands, they traveled across Europe, enjoying the arts of the continent.

Margaret Jean shared her great Christian influence and positive outlook on life with her family and friends. Nothing was more important to her than her faith. In the face of Alzheimer's, she always shared a kind word with those around her and a cheerful smile graced her face until the very end. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Preceded in heaven by her husband Bill, her memories will be cherished by her daughter Tobey Marks Unrath and husband Todd, of Houston; son W. Miles Marks and wife Molly, of College Station; grandchildren, Josh and Elizabeth Marks Meeh of Sugarland, Jonathan and Heather Unrath of Killeen, Margaret Marks of Houston and David Unrath of Houston; great grandchildren Cade and Madelyn Meeh and Daniel Unrath; and sister-in-law Betty Marks Nellius of Beaumont, and many nieces & nephews.

Family visitation will be at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway in Houston from 6:30-8PM on Saturday, October 20. Funeral services will be held at 3 PM Sunday, October 21, in the chapel of Memorial Oaks Funeral Home in Houston. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas on Tuesday, October 23 at 11AM.

Jean was a lover of flowers, but remembrance gifts would also be appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or to the charity of your choice.