Annie Marion Steen

STEEN, Marion , age 96 died on July 5, 2016 . Marion was born on August 1, 1919 in her grandmother’s house in Bivins, Texas. She grew up in East Texas and was a survivor of the New London school explosion on March 18, 1937. Upon graduation, she attended Texas Women’s University graduating there in 1941 and obtained a position at Gladewater High School teaching homemaking. Soon after the war she met, at the local First Baptist Church, a returning veteran, E. Lee Steen and a friendship ensued leading to their marriage in the church on December 18, 1948. In 1949, she moved with her husband to Waco where she worked in the dining hall to help pay expenses while Lee earned a degree in accounting.

In 1951 the family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana with their two month old son, Charles and joined the First Baptist Church in 1952. A daughter, Nancy was born in 1953 and a second son, David in 1957. Marion was a homemaker but occasionally did substitute teaching from 1962 to 1964. Moving with her family to Houston in August 1964, Marion obtained a full-time position at Fondren Junior High where she taught 8th grade science for many years until her retirement.

Marion loved to paint and enjoyed showing and selling her oil paintings in Houston and annually at the Gladewater Art Show. She enjoyed crocheting and sewing. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she especially enjoyed teaching children’s Sunday school at Westbury Baptist Church. Marion is survived by her husband of sixty seven years, Lee Steen, sons; Charles and daughter-in-law Betty Steen of Palestine, Texas, David and daughter-in-law Hope Steen of Houston and one daughter, Nanci Faris of Houston as well as a grandsons, Clayton Steen of Tyler, Texas and Shawn Issac of Houston, granddaughters, Erica Ramirez and Kristen Ramirez, both of Houston and two great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Belle Walker of Gladewater and two sisters and one brother.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Thursday, July 7, 2016 at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home. Interment will be 10:00 AM, Friday July 8, 2016 at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held 3:00 PM, Friday, July 8, 2016 at Westbury Baptist Church, 10425 Hillcroft St., 77096. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Westbury Baptist Church’s benevolent fund.