Mary Neumann Burgert

Mary Neumann Burgert, a loving wife and mother, at 74 years of age passed away peacefully in her home on November 26, 2021. She is survived by her husband, Raymond, her two children, Jeff (Kemberlee) and Meredith (Sean), her four grandchildren, Auden, Klara, Walter and Gage, and her two sisters, Brenda Eaton of Port Neches, Texas and Margaret Farr of Dumfries, Virginia. Her third sister, Ann, had predeceased her. Her extended family was a source of great joy and pride to her; and as a deeply spiritual person, her lifelong Catholic faith was a source of great strength and comfort.

Mary was born in Port Arthur, Texas on October 1, 1947 to Charles Ernest Neumann and Fern Brown Neumann as the second of four girls. She attended Thomas Jefferson High School and Bishop Byrne High School where she graduated in 1964. After high school she attended Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. There she joined Chi Omega sorority where she made lifelong friends, including a core group of sisters who met for annual reunions at various locations nearly every year thereafter, as recently as last year. She graduated from SFA in l968 with a degree in Education and soon obtained her teaching certificate.

Mary then moved to Houston and started her teaching career where she met her husband, Ray Burgert. The two met through their respective parents who happened to be longtime friends. After a year of courtship, Mary and Ray married in 1971 and remained so for nearly fifty years, until her passing.

Mary taught at the elementary school level for years and at various schools. Mary was then persuaded by her sister, Ann, and other librarian friends to change her career path by becoming a librarian. This meant embarking upon three years of weekly travel to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas in order to obtain her master’s degree in library science. Upon graduation she commenced her new career as the librarian of Lovett Elementary, where she completely transformed and modernized their out-of-date library. Mary later worked at Pershing Middle School, alongside longtime friend, Mary Ellen Taylor. There, Mary helped to completely redesign the school’s library from the ground up, an accomplishment by which she was very proud, and deservedly so, as the library was one of the best in the district. Mary was also nominated and proved to be a finalist in HISD’s Librarian of the Year award shortly before retiring. Retirement did not last long. All it took was her 1st granddaughter, Auden, beginning kindergarten to bring Mary out of retirement and back into the library... this time, at Mark Twain Elementary.

Throughout her long career as teacher and librarian, Mary became known to many throughout the community. Mary was compassionate, dedicated, empathic and inspiring. And because of these traits, her influence was profound. She was always being stopped and greeted or thanked by those in the community with whom she had worked or taught. Seemingly everyone who had the fortune of crossing paths with Mary was the better for it.

Mary was always very social. She greatly enjoyed her bridge and book clubs, as well as annual summer trips to New Braunfels for gatherings with family and friends. She was also a staple at the annually rotating, formal Christmas dinners with those same friends. She treasured the life time friendships she developed throughout the years. Closer to home, she cherished being “Nana” to her four grandchildren. Mary loved to travel. In particular she enjoyed her trips to Europe and relished sharing those memories and photos with friends and family.

Mary’s mother, Fern, raised her and her three sisters as devout Catholics. Her faith intensified after she was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017. Later, Mary was gifted an opportunity to further celebrate her faith when her sorority sister, Alice Smith, nominated her for a trip to Lourdes, France. Mary was sponsored by the Order of Malta, a charitable Catholic organization, to spend a week, alongside husband Ray, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, a site where miracles and apparitions were experienced during the 19th century. This trip made a profound impression on her and served as a catalyst for further focus on her faith which only intensified during the final years of her life.

Mary was a warm, wonderful, caring person who will be greatly missed. She will lovingly be remembered by all, particularly by her family, siblings and her many friends. May she now rest in comfort, joy, and peace with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all eternity.

A funeral mass for Mary will be held Monday, December 6, 2021 at 10:00 AM at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, 6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas. Following the funeral mass will be a rite of committal at 2:00 PM at Earthman Resthaven Cemetery, 13102 North Freeway, Houston, Texas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.earthmanbellaire.com for the Burgert family.