Hometown: Terrell; grew up in Oak Cliff
Present City: Dallas
Education: B.A., North Texas; M.A. and Ph.D., New Mexico State
Profession: Educator, writer
Tell us about your family.
I have none left. I’m an only child, married an only child, and we had no children. We adopted 11 cats, starting in 1964 with a cross-eyed, highly intelligent Siamese. My husband, Ed, died Christmas Eve 2007. My friends are my family, and they’re spread throughout the country.
How about your work or volunteer life?
I sing in New Song Community Choir and volunteer with Friday Friends.
Any favorite hobbies?
Reading, puzzling, games, movies. Before TV, my family played board games, card games or dominoes almost every evening. My earliest memories are watching a movie in a big, dark theater with Mother. Daddy taught me to play poker.
What brought you to Wilshire and when?
George Mason’s essay “Civility” in The Advocate. I read it during the fractious election year 2004 and couldn’t believe the author was a Baptist minister. I left the Baptist church almost 50 years earlier and never returned. I listened to George’s sermons on WRR and told a friend. Unbeknownst to me, she belonged to Wilshire and invited me to meet her there. I did in April 2005 and got chills when the worship service included the hymn and scripture Mother wanted at her graveside service. When I told my friend, she said, “Oh, get over it, Mary Kay; it’s just a God thing.” I joined the next Sunday.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
I direct Whosoever Wilshire, although our generous, small-but-mighty, talky group largely directs itself. Previously, I sang in Sanctuary Choir and occasionally taught Senior Adult Sunday School classes. Jessica Capps asked me to offer writing workshops and lead book discussions, and I enjoyed both. I served as a deacon for three years and on the lay support team for Pastoral Resident Tasha Gibson. I’ve been honored to participate in Faith in 3D productions.
Tell us about your faith journey.
I’ve never not believed in God. What I heard in sermons — as a child and a young adult, and what I heard people who called themselves Christians say about other people — turned me off churches. I was even leery of Jesus. I told George all of this when we first met. He said, “Well, stick around. You may change your mind.”
What is something interesting most people would not know about you?
I dropped out of grad school and bartended in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
What adjectives best describe you?
Someone else should answer this.