Mary Elizabeth Ashcraft

She was born September 17, 1910, in Texarkana, Texas to Ida Lee and John Sykes. She was the only daughter of 4 children including brothers Jewel Lee, William Eugene and Warren Harding. On June 21, 1932, she married Thomas Leon Ashcraft. She is preceded in death by her husband, Tom (deceased in 1987); and daughters Shirley Ann Jones and Carol Lynn Franklin. She lived the majority of her adult life in the Houston area.

She was a high school graduate, ballet dancer, and wife and mother of three children. She assisted in their family business, Ashcraft Bakery of Houston, Texas. One of her favorite activities was evangelizing (sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ) alongside her husband who eventually served as the International Vice President of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International. The couple served in this ministry for over 3 decades, and travelled both domestically and internationally to five continents.

Over the years, Elizabeth was active in several churches including Heights Assembly of God and Evangelistic Temple, both in Houston. She was an avid student of the Bible and a mighty prayer warrior. After becoming a Christian in her 30’s, she was instrumental in leading her husband, her children, and several grandchildren to the Lord. From the moment she was saved, her enthusiasm and love for the Lord never faded. She hosted ladies’ luncheons for her churches, spoke publically at Full Gospel Fellowship meetings, and drove herself weekly to a local nursing home to lead Bible studies with the residents well into her 90’s.

Elizabeth was a thrifty homemaker, providing for her family by sewing, gardening, and canning. She enjoyed all kinds of handiwork including croquet, embroidery, beadwork and ceramics. Pink was her decorating color of choice.

After growing up in Little Rock, AR, Elizabeth and her husband made their homes in Houston, Texas, Atlanta, GA, and Stafford, TX. They lived briefly in Pennsylvania while Tom attended baking school. After retirement, the couple built a second home on Lake Livingston, and they spent many happy hours with family there.

About a decade after the death of her husband, Elizabeth sold her home and moved in with her daughter, Shirley. This arrangement served both of them very well as Shirley continued to work until retirement and Elizabeth returned to her love of gardening and yardwork. The two spent many hours enjoying their patio room, their pets, and family visits. Living together afforded Elizabeth the freedom to enjoy a large degree of independence until she turned 102.

In January, Elizabeth and her daughter moved to Canton to be closer to her granddaughter, Beth Miller. In the facility where she lived, Nana quickly became known for her curious and spunky nature, endearing herself to both staff and residents’ families whom she kept both entertained and challenged. Her fashion sense was that you can never wear too many hats, gloves or necklaces.

Elizabeth was an energetic, determined, and resilient person, with a strong moral code and a heart sensitive to the Lord’s voice. She survived the very premature death of one daughter, a diagnosis of kidney cancer, and a surgery for renal aneurism at age 94. She loved to share her age with strangers, but her actual birth year is a little mysterious because the 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses identify 1912 as her birth year. Nana was always full of surprises.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Tom L. Ashcraft and Joy Wristers of

Leander, TX; grandchildren Beth and Phil Miller of Akron, OH, Diana and Scott Armstrong of Millican, TX, Thomas and Donna Ashcraft of Cedar Park, TX, and Steven and Angela Ashcraft of The Woodlands, TX; and by 10 great-grandchildren: Adam, Susannah, Tyler, Samuel, Emily, Matthew, Michaela, Megan, Kyle and Keith.

A viewing will take place Sunday, September 7th from 5-8 pm at Forest Park Westheimer in Houston, TX, and the funeral is Monday, September 8th at 11 am. Longtime friend, Dodie Osteen, will be officiating the service with burial immediately following.