Mary Lee Sowders Herrington, EdD

In Memoriam

Mary Lee Sowders Herrington, EdD

August 27, 1927 – August 30, 2024

Mary Lee Sowders Herrington, EdD, was called to her heavenly home on August 30, 2024. She had just celebrated her 97th birthday.

She was born in Mexia on August 27, 1927 to Merle Edwin Sowders and Eunice Strickland Sowders. She moved to Kilgore with her family during the oil boom. She attended Kilgore Junior College before receiving her BA in 1948 from Baylor University.

Her lifelong dream was to become a teacher and help others to learn. She began her career at Elder Elementary School teaching fifth grade. She soon learned she needed more education to become the best teacher she could be. She spent four summers at Baylor to complete a Master’s Degree in elementary education. She taught for 41 years and helped many students along the way. 

She was introduced to William B. (Bill) Herrington at a faculty meeting in the Fall of 1954. He was teaching junior high school math. Their first date was September 19, 1954 and they were married December 19, 1954. They were married 54 years before his passing on November 15, 2009.

In 1961, Mary Lee and Bill moved to Corsicana to teach at Navarro Junior College. They had a desire to further their education and for the next seven years did their jobs at Navarro and drove one night a week to Waco to attend classes at Baylor. In 1968, they were the first married couple to be awarded doctorate degrees from Baylor at the same time. 

They both taught in Baylor’s Department of Education for 21 years and retired in 1989. The Doctors Herrington “paid forward” everything they gained through their relationship with Baylor by establishing the Sowders-Herrington Endowed School of Education Scholarship Fund. 

After retirement they spent many hours at their farm in Mount Calm where Mary Lee enjoyed learning to drive a tractor and helping Bill raise Black Angus cattle. They took pride in their involvement with FFA, where they provided heifers for the youth to show.

In 2015, Mary Lee moved from Waco to The Westmore Senior Living Center in Fort Worth to be closer to family. Church and her faith were always an important part of her life and at The Westmore she was an active member of The Walk Church which brings weekly worship and Bible studies to retirement centers.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and siblings, Ella Faye Sowders Kinsey, and Berry Frank Sowders.

She is survived by her only niece, Leanne Kinsey Ivey of Benbrook, who through their lifelong special relationship became her primary caregiver. Her great nephews Jeff Ivey and his wife Tricia of Fort Worth, and Scott Ivey and his wife Aubrey of Georgetown also played key roles in assisting with her care. She is also survived by her brother, James David Sowders and wife Denise of Humble; and nephews Robert Frank Kinsey of Smithville, Kenneth Gregory Kinsey of Saginaw, and Clyde Herrington and wife Karol Sue of Lufkin. Aunt Mary Lee or Dr. Mary, as she was affectionately known, was blessed with many great nieces, nephews, former students, neighbors, and friends.

A Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 6, 2024 followed by a Celebration of Life at 11:00 a.m. at the Winscott Road Funeral Home, 1001 Winscott Road, Benbrook, Texas 76126. Graveside services and burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 7th at the Garden of Memories Memorial Park in Lufkin.

The family extends special thanks to Pastor Ja and Synthia Davis, Verlie Edwards, and Lana Lish for their love and support. 

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Walk Church at P.O. Box 33452, Fort Worth, Texas 76162 or to The Sowders-Herrington Endowed School of Education Scholarship Fund, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97050, Waco, Texas 76798-7050. Please note that the gift is in memory of Dr. Mary Lee Herrington.