Mary Ann Lynn Bunch

Her parents were Elizabeth Maude Bailey and Simon Lynn (they divorced when Mary Ann was very young). She was an only child but had many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Mary Ann and her mother lived together in Gate, Oklahoma, until they moved to Oklahoma City during World War II, where Mary Ann graduated from high school and her mother worked in a war plant.

Mary Ann worked for the government from 1945 to 1951, first with Office of Price Control, and then with the Internal Revenue Service.

In 1949 she met her husband-to-be in a Sunday School Class at St. Luke’s Methodist Church, then the second largest Methodist Church in the South. He proposed on Valentine’s Day, 1951.

She married Gordon Lee Bunch on June 2, 1951, while he was still in college.

Upon his graduation in 1952, they moved to Port Arthur, Texas. Mary Ann worked for Gulf Oil Company while he worked for Jefferson Chemical Company.

In 1956 his job sent him to Boston, MA, for a six-month temporary duty and she quit her job and went with him. This proved to be one of the most enjoyable periods in their lives.

In 1960 his work moved them to Houston, Texas, and they settled in the Spring Branch area where she lived for the rest of her life.

They very soon joined Fair Haven United Methodist Church.

Mary Ann was a housewife for the next ten years raising their three children.

In 1970 she started working for the Spring Branch Independent School District, first as a census taker, then in the night school and then as secretary and receptionist for the District’s coordinators. She retired from the District in 1991.

Mary Ann was known by all as a sharing and loving mother and wife. Her main interests, outside of her family, were singing in the church choir; oil painting (all pictures in her home were done by her); jewelry and jewelry-making; bridge; sewing; and, Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera. She also participated in the Royal Spring Civic Association and the Texas Retired Teachers Association.

After retiring Mary and Gordon did some traveling and have been in 49 of the 50 states (guess which one is missing).

Mary Ann is survived by her husband, Gordon Lee Bunch; son Donald Lee Bunch; daughter Mary Beth (Bunch) McKenna and husband Mike, and granddaughter, Sarah (McKenna) Chavez and husband Marco; daughter Beverly Ann (Bunch) Carter and husband Kenneth and grandson Clayton Chip Rogers and granddaughter Amy Lynnette Rogers.

Family and friends gathered for a visitation on Sunday, the 19th of February, from four until seven o'clock in the evening at Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road in Houston.

A memorial service celebrating Mary Ann's life was conducted at half past eleven o’clock in the morning on Monday, February 20, in the sanctuary of Fair Haven United Methodist Church, 1330 Gessner in Houston, led by Reverends Bob Luton and Paul Thomasson. A reception followed in the Trinity Center.

A private interment took place at Woodlawn Garden of Memories.

A huge note of appreciation is owed to Houston Hospice for their outstanding care during the last few months of her life.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, a non-profit organization

or

Fair Haven United Methodist Church Food Pantry 1330 Gessner Drive, Houston, TX 77055-4005.