Mary Jean Boston

  Throughout her life, Mary Jean Durham Boston was a force of nature. Thankfully, God allowed her to pass away peacefully on the morning of October 15, 2020, over 95 years after her birth on August 9, 1925, in Palestine, Texas - - the Holy Land of the Lone Star State. A member of the Greatest Generation, she weathered the storm of her first 25 years by struggling through the Great Depression with her family in Forth Worth, and then supporting the war effort while a student at Texas State College for Women (now Texas Women’s University). After college graduation, she moved to Shamrock, Texas, where she soon became the town’s most popular piano teacher. During her three years there, she met her future husband (and our father) Paul T. Boston, and they embarked on a 62 year marriage in January 1949, which was soon enlivened by their three children - - Ann, Talmage, and James. Our mother loved and supported us fiercely at every point in our lives, especially during our school years where she was a constant presence not only in our homes, but also as a substitute teacher at our grade schools, junior highs, and high schools. She and Dad made the most of their life journey together, with stops along the way in Mt. Vernon, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; San Antonio; Houston; Colorado City (Tx.); Dallas; Houston again; Corpus Christi; Westport, Ct.; and finally their retirement years together on the Armstrong Road outside Salado. Our parents were kindred spirits - - traveling all over the world together for decades, enjoying and supporting the arts wherever they lived, and always being steadfast pillars in their churches and communities. Since their move to Central Texas in 1989, Mom was an active volunteer with the Yellow Birds at Scott & White Hospital, a strong board member of the Bell County Museum, a dedicated 2 performer with Living Room Theater, and a constant front pew presence at the First United Methodist Church of Temple. Mary Jean Boston made herself a constant driving force in the lives of her family and friends. She greatly enriched all she touched. Her legacy is as a person of deep faith, steadfast optimism, high energy, thorough organization, and love and loyalty to her many compadres. She was preceded in death by her parents “Happy” and Lucile Durham, sister Patsy Durham Henderson, husband Paul T. Boston, and son-in-law Lawrence Faber. She is survived by her daughter Ann Holland Boston Faber; sons Talmage Boston and James Boston; daughters-in-law Claire Lindsey Boston and Terry Weems Boston; grandchildren David and Gregory Faber, Scott Boston and Lindsey Boston Miller, and Grant and Paul Boston; granddaughter-in-law Emily Guzman Faber; grandson-in-law Mitchell Miller; niece Wimberly Boston Grove; and nephews Donn Boston and “Happy” Henderson. She is also survived by legions of friends, most notably her best friend of over 60 years, Myra Robinson. The family wants to extend our heartfelt thanks to the devoted and caring staff at Park Place Manor in Belton where our mother spent the last three years of her life. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, there will be no memorial service at her beloved First United Methodist Church of Temple, and there will only be a small family burial service at the Bell Plains Cemetery where she will be laid to rest beside her late husband Paul. Donations in her memory may be made to either the First United Methodist Church of Temple or the Bell County Museum in Belton.

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