Mary Lee DeBerry

Mary Lee DeBerry (nee Farris) died Wednesday, September 21, at her home. She was born in Austin to Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Farris on April 18, 1917, and was a lifelong resident of the city, graduating from Austin High School in 1934 and receiving her BBA degree from the University of Texas in 1938. She was married for 56 years to Henry Drew DeBerry, Jr., who predeceased her, and had one son, Nick.

Mary Lee loved all things UT and was an avid follower of Longhorn sports. She attended most of the Longhorn’s home football games for over 60 years. Besides sports, she enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading, playing bridge and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also had a keen interest in politics, and during the fifties and sixties served as administrative assistant to various state representatives during the legislative sessions. She was a devoted parishioner of Hyde Park United Methodist Church for over 90 years. She was blessed with good health, an alert mind and a sunny disposition until her death, which was sudden and unexpected.

Survivors include her son Henry Drew (Nick) DeBerry, III and his wife Helen of Rappahannock County, Virginia; grandson Richard DeBerry, his wife Kelly, and their children Will and Katherine of Ft. Worth; granddaughter Sarah Ann DeBerry-Caperton, her husband Tom Caperton, and their son Charlie of Austin; granddaughter Victoria Lee DeBerry of Wimberley and her husband Patrick Smith of Dallas; and her sister, Dot Lucas of La Marque, TX. Her brother, W.L. Farris, predeceased her.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation at six o’clock in the evening until eight o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 27th of September at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX. A graveside service will be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 28th of September, at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, TX. A reception will follow the interment.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering at (http://www.engr.utexas.edu/giving).

Condolences may made to the family at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com