Mary Sue Myers' Obituary
Myers, Mary Sue Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 25, 1938, to Dr. Clyde and Cora Coburn Myers, Mary Sue Myers grew up in Cotulla, Texas, with her sister Ann and brother Bob and with many beloved cousins nearby. She graduated from Cotulla High School, where she was named Basketball Sweetheart, and she remained an avid basketball player into her seventieth year. Beginning her education at the University of Texas at Austin, she was graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1960 from Texas Tech University, where she met and married Joseph Lee Black. She and Joe were blessed by daughters Laura Jean, Rebecca Lee, and Karen Elizabeth. With an innate ability to speak a well-turned phrase and a lifelong love of literature, Mary undertook graduate courses in English wherever she lived, including as a doctoral student at Rice University. In 1976 Mary earned her J.D. from Southern Methodist University and was soon after admitted to the State Bar of Texas. Mary maintained a solo practice as an attorney specializing in Family Law in the north Dallas area for 25 years. Mary Sue gave generously of her time and energy, performing pro bono legal services for multiple nonprofit organizations and for individuals without means. In both formal and informal capacities, she served as a leader of Highlands Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for many years. She consistently gave to organizations that feed and clothe people too often overlooked by many, and she volunteered countless hours for Interfaith Housing Coalition (Dallas) and organizations offering medical and economic assistance to people with AIDS. In recent years she lived in Pasadena, California, with J. Donald Thomas as her husband. They traveled frequently, including multiple volunteer trips to Malawi, and were active members of All Saints Episcopal Church, until Parkinson’s disease affected Mary’s mobility. Having returned to Dallas in 2010, Mary enjoyed seeing her granddaughters frequently. Mary Sue passed away on Tuesday July 10, 2012, and was preceded in death by her mother Cora and father Clyde, her sister Ann and niece Sharon Johnson Fletcher. She is survived by her brother Bob (Shirley) Myers of Aledo; daughters Laura Black (Don Greer) of Bozeman, Montana, Rebecca (Stacy) Obenhaus of Dallas, and Karen (Chris) Moseley of Richardson; granddaughters Emily and Rachel Obenhaus and Mary Elizabeth Moseley; and nieces Carol Johnson Ledgewood and Shanan Myers Richard, and nephew Ryan Myers. Her sense of humor and manners of speech will be missed and remembered. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that contributions be made to Dallas Area Parkinson’s Society, Interfaith Housing Coalition (Dallas), or Heifer International. A memorial service will be held at Highlands Christian Church, Dallas, Texas, in August.
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