Mary Bingham began worshiping in her new Heavenly home on July 17th. This is a journey she has been looking forward to for over 50 years.
She was born in Hobbs, NM and was immediately adopted by J. Bart and Margaret Walden. She grew up in Seminole, TX and served as drum major for three years at Seminole High School before graduating in 1959. After graduation, she attended Texas Tech and North Texas University. Mary was a member of the International Order of the Rainbow Girls and served as Grand Worthy Advisor for Texas from 1960-1961.
Mary met her dashing husband, Bob Bingham, in 1962 when he was discharged from the Navy. He took her off the market a short time later on September 14, 1963.
She followed her heart’s calling and began working with special needs young adults while living in Dimmit, TX from 1968-1969. She worked for the Amarillo State Center for Human Development and was instrumental in developing group homes for special needs adults. Her home was chosen to be the very first girls’ home in Texas. She and Bob took seven young adult women with special needs into their home where they learned how to work in real jobs, care for themselves and learn life skills to help them gain more independence. During this time, Mary also started a Sunday School program for special needs adults at Paramount Baptist Church. That class grew to over 40 members who loved learning about the love of Jesus each week.
After Bob transferred to Phoenix, AZ in 1980, Mary began working for the Baptist Foundation of Arizona for many years. Their family made the move back to Texas in 1988 and made their home in North Richland Hills. Mary worked at the Baptist Radio and TV Commission as Executive Secretary for President Jack Johnson. She once again followed her passion for others and began a Bible study class for women at First Baptist Church of Hurst. This class quickly grew from 3 to 50 members. After Bob’s retirement in 1999, they settled in Lake Kiowa where she once again began a Bible study for women at First Baptist Church of Collinsville.
In 2019 Mary retired from teaching as a very unwelcome guest entered her life. Realizing what a thief dementia is, Bob and Mary focused on traveling and building memories with family and friends.
Mary will forever be remembered by those who knew her for her ever-present smile and loving personality. She loved all people and was always willing to help those in need, regardless of how large or small that need might be. She absolutely loved to travel and experienced the beauty of Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Israel, Alaska, and Canada. As much as she loved seeing places around the world, her heart always belonged to the mountains found within the US.
Mary is survived by husband, Bob Bingham of Lake Kiowa; son, Shayne Bingham of Carrollton; daughter, Kristi Ballard of Aubrey; grandsons, Sam and Zach Sanders of Aubrey; and brother, David Walden of Seminole.
She was preceded in death by parents, J.
- and Margaret Walden, sisters, Marta Walden and Judith Henry, brother, Mark Walden, and daughter, Rhonda Kay Bingham.
She will be lying in repose on Thursday, August 1, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Meador Funeral Home in Whitesboro, TX.
The family invites friends and relatives to a celebration of her glorious life on Friday, August 2nd at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church in Collinsville, TX. A private interment will be held at Dallas- Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas.
The family requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at http://t2t.org/ or Indian Creek Volunteer Fire Department at 550 Kiowa Dr. W. Lake Kiowa, TX 76240.