Mary Alford

Longtime Brazoria County resident, Mary Lockhart Alford, 94, of Sweeny, passed away peacefully on April 24, 2016. Having faithfully served God for over 70 years, Mary was completely ready to head to her heavenly rest.

Funeral services will be held 2:00pm, Thursday, April 28, 2016 at Sweeny Church of Christ with Glen Duncan and Ken Hysten officiating. Burial will follow at Sweeny Cemetery. Visitation will be held Wednesday evening at Baker Funeral Home from 6:00pm until 8:00pm.

Mary is preceded in death by her first husband, Lt. Joe McSpadden, a WWII casualty from Brownwood, TX and her husband of 56 years, D.Ray Alford of Sweeny, TX. She is also preceded in death by her parents, Giles and Pearl Lockhart of Rising Star, TX; a sister, Dorothy Dunn Pendley also of Rising Star; a brother, G.H. Lockhart (surviving spouse: Virginia) of Austin, TX; a stillborn twin daughter, Dawn Alford, a son, David Ray Alford (surviving spouse: Jan) of Cedar Lane, TX; and most recently, a grandson, Michael Curran Lynch (surviving spouse: Sarah) of Sweeny.

Mary is survived by two younger sisters, Janelle Caudle of Rising Star,TX, and Greta Burkett of Sweeny. Her surviving children include daughters, Judy McSpadden Indest & husband Jim of Pearland, Mary Susan Salyer & husband, Glenn of Sweeny, Sally Jane Lynch & husband, Robert of Sweeny, and son, James William Alford & wife, Susie of Sweeny.
Also left to miss her loving touches are Mary and D. Ray's eight grandchildren: Ty Alford (wife, Sami) of Bay City, Lang Alford (wife, Karen) of Cedar Lane, Kay Lynn Alford Winfrey (husband, Chance) of Blessing, Chad Salyer (wife, Tori) of Pearland, Emily Salyer Zimmerman of Houston, Amy Lynch of Spring, Everett Alford and Adie Alford, both of Sweeny, and 11 great grandchildren. Additionally, "Aunt Mary" will be missed by numerous loving nieces and nephews and their children.

God appears to have had great plans for Mary Helen Lockhart, from her depression era upbringing in Rising Star, to Brownwood, Roby, Floresville, West Columbia and ultimately Sweeny, TX. Along that journey she influenced a host of people with her entrepreneurial spirit (selling eggs, making hats from home, and later, owning and operating a dress shop with her sister, Greta.) She always carried her sense of glamour into every endeavor, even making her home an oasis of beauty at the end of 9 miles of mud and shell roads on the McGinnes Angus Ranch, where D.Ray was the manager.

She had the spirit to face adversity through good times and bad with a smile and great witt. Her spirit and Christian faith have shown brightly through the years as she endured children with polio and other disabilities, loss of a young child, loss of her loving husbands, son and grandson before her.

Most importantly she had personal and deeply satisfying relationship with Jesus Christ. She brought her husband to Christ and he much later became an elder for the Sweeny Church of Christ. She influenced her children greatly by gathering them around her as she read aloud from her Bible, and by being a living example of the Christian walk. Her unconditional love touched many generations.

As a faithful member of the Sweeny Church of Christ, Mary supported her husband while he was an elder. And as a silent partner, she helped D. Ray in his real estate and insurance businesses. On her own, Mary was one of the earliest Mary Kay Cosmetics saleswomen in the community. Her passing has left a void in the Sweeny Civic Club and many community organizational activities, especially those where her famous homemade hot rolls were often requested. She will be greatly missed.

The family extends heartfelt appreciation to in-home caregivers, Amelia Johnson, Helen McBee,and Janet Hatchett, and to the attending staff at the Light Heart Memory Care in Pearland.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to Sweeny Christian School, 906 Texas Avenue, or Foster's Home for Children of Stephenville, TX - www.fostershome.org

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