Mary Esther Hudson Burton

Mary Esther Burton, aged 83, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday the 10th January 2011 surrounded by her eight dedicated children and loving husband. She was the only child of Merrell K. Hudson and Mary M. Guest, born on the 2nd of July 1927 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Mary Esther spent the majority of her life in her adopted home town of Houston, TX, having moved frequently as a child. Her father’s work took her to Tampa, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; Los Angeles, California; Mansfield, Columbus and Toledo, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee and finally Houston, Texas.

Mary Esther met her husband, Charles Millard Burton, while living in Nashville. They married at Houston’s Holy Rosary Church, had eight children and settled locally. She was instrumental in the Sharpstown Civic Association for many years and was responsible for planting numerous oak trees throughout the neighborhood as part of their beautification efforts. She was active in the Catholic Church and many other civic organizations, and worked as a volunteer at the Charity Guild of Catholic Women in Houston.

She was a high school graduate of St. Peter’s School in Mansfield, Ohio. She attended St. Mary of the Springs College in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Ohio State University in 1948. She received advanced education courses at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and taught English. She attended Rice University in Houston, receiving a Master of Arts degree in English.

Her love for her family was her primary concern. She leaves behind her husband of fifty-six years Charles Millard Burton, eight children and twelve grandchildren: Laurie Burton Farris and husband Anthony, children Justin, Adam and Stefanie; Timothy Burton; Thomas Burton and wife Alison and children Sarah, Amy and Thomas; Christopher Burton and wife Anne and children William and Isabel; Rosemary Burton and husband Alan and children Meryl and Eva; Mary Theresa Burton; Clifford Burton and wife Audrey and children Grace and Paul; and Douglas Burton and partner Christopher Ralston.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Robert Jackson for his loving care.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six until eight o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 13th of January, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where the recitation of the Holy Rosary will commence at seven o’clock.

The Mass of Christian Burial is to be celebrated at ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 14th of January, at St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church, 10503 Westheimer Road in Houston.

The family will gather for a private interment at Holy Cross Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Mary Esther’s name be directed to Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, 8900 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX, 77036.