Mary Helen Hurst

Mary was born in Groesbeck, Texas on June 2, 1927. She graduated from Groesbeck High School in 1944. While working as a waitress at Lynn's Café, she met her husband, Joe Hurst and they were married on May 3, 1945. Together they had three beautiful children in their 20 years of marriage.

Mary was well-known in the community as a bank teller for Commercial Bank (later J.P. Morgan Chase), where she greeted everyone with a smile and often knew her customers by first name. In her spare time she was a prolific seamstress, creating clothing for her daughters and grandchildren on her old Singer sewing machine. Many fond memories were created around that old Singer. On the weekends Mary would tend to her yard for hours and everyone knew that she had the most pristine lawn on the street, as she never settled for anything less than perfection from herself.

Mary was raised in a large close-knit family as the second to youngest child. She is preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Oscar Franklin and Emma Mae Jackson Franklin. Thomas and Emma Mae instilled in their children the importance of family support and from them Mary's heart grew ever so large in love. She is also preceded in death by her eight siblings, Lonnie Franklin, Fred Franklin, Oleta Eddy, Lillian Henderson, Frank Reynolds, Jake Tilton, Gloria Smith, and Thomas Franklin Jr., and also by her daughter-in-law Pam Hurst and son-in-law Bobby Owens.

She is survived by her three children, twins Jimmy Hurst and Linda Owens, and youngest daughter Elaine (Josie) Wheeler and her husband Carlton Wheeler. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Carol Stringer and her husband Ray Stringer, Michael Hughes, Christy Whitaker and her husband Paul Whitaker, and Kristen Cooper and her husband Michael Cooper, as well as five great-grandchildren, Laura Graves, Hayden Stringer, Holten Stringer, Harrison Stringer, and Austin Cooper. Mary was the rock of her family, a voice of reason, a shoulder to cry on. Her sweet smile always reassuring, lighting up a room and lifting spirits.

Her family finds comfort in John 14, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; Trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Visitation will be held May 25, 2015 from 6-7 pm at Ellis Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at 11 am, May 26, 2015 at Ellis with Pastor Jeff Franklin officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Compass Hospice.

The family of Mary Helen Franklin Hurst wishes to thank Compass Hospice and Legacy Ranch for their loving care, assistance, and support. Online condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com.