Miss Mary Lee Wallace

Miss Mary Lee Wallace was born in Burdette Wells of Caldwell County on June 13, 1909. She passed away peacefully on Jan. 30, 2007 at the age of 97. She lived in Caldwell County all of her life. Her parents, Betty Sims and Steve Wallace predeceased her as did 12 of her siblings: Patton Hardeman, Zelma Maxwell, Emma Wilson, Allen (Lump)Bell, Leavern Bell, Ollie Bell, Plumer W

allace, David Wallace, Hughie Wallace, Burt Wallace, Cleo Wallace and Ora Armstrong.
She is survived by two brothers; Milton T. Bell of Federal Way, Wash., and Herman Bell of Palo Alto, Calif. Mary also has surviving nephews and nieces: David Wallace, James B. Wallace, Lessie Walker, Lula Mae McKinney, Diane Hollis, Gloria Bell, Reese Wallace, Melvin Bell, and many others. She is also survived by an endless list of friends and church family.
Mary”s childhood, in the early 1900″s, was a difficult one, but it shaped a caring, loving, and Christian woman. She pulled many a sack of cotton working the fields from morning until night. As a young woman, she traveled on the train from Lockhart to Luling on Sundays to clean and iron for a family, staying for the week. On weekends, she would ride the train back to Lockhart to see her mother and deliver her wages to her family. Mary could show you exactly where the train track ran and where the station was on what was once called Lapan Street; now Hwy. 183.
Mary Lee Wallace was very active in her church, St. John Baptist of Lockhart. She served for many years as an usher of Sunday School and as Superintendent of Sunday School. She was also usher of the Guadalupe District Association. Mary”s church was the focus of her life and her service to The Lord was first in her life, as she was taught. She was baptized as young woman and faithfully attended church all of her life.
For much of Mary”s life she worked for Lockhart families cleaning their homes and raising their children. There was never a task asked of Mary she did not complete. She never cared for a child she did not love unconditionally. She held most adults to a slightly higher standard! She walked to her job each and every day and continued to walk to town almost daily until she was well into her nineties. Merchants on the square and at the grocery stores will surely remember her for many years to come. In the 1960″s she began working for Jerry and Iris Medlock and their children, Jerry, Liz, Janet, Pam, and Steven. She semi- retired after she left their employment. In 1982, Mary began working for Jim and Amelia Smith caring for a child again; Winn. In 1987, when Lee Katherine was born, Mary was close to eighty, but she sat many an hour with Lee, and colored and dressed many a Barbie with her.
Mary”s last year was again with some difficulty, but she faced it with a bold spirit and enthusiasm for life. She was cared for during her last year by Dr. Arjun Mohandas, and by a very special staff and many loving friends at Chisolm Trail Nursing and Rehab Center.
The funeral service for Mary Lee Wallace was Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, at 4 p.m., at St. John Baptist Church in Lockhart with Rev. J. E. Morris, Jr. officiating. Burial followed at the Lockhart City Cemetery. Pallbearers were Rathers Asberry, Winn Smith, Lee W. Dawson, Howard Branch, Mike Annas, Skip Smith, Ron Metz, and Wallace Pansy. Honorary pallbearers were Dr. Jerry W. Medlock, Lee Katherine Smith, Ester Branch, David Wallace, Homer Williams, James B. Wallace, and Ushers and members of Sunday School. Memorials in Mary”s memory would be appreciated to charity of your choice or St. John Baptist Church, Lockhart, Texas.
Arrangements by Eeds Funeral Home, 408 South Main St., Lockhart, Texas.