Mary “Frances” Griffin Glaze
Published 2:57 pm Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Mary “Frances” Griffin Glaze, 92, of Groves, TX, was born on January 20, 1926 and went to be with the Lord on September 16, 2018. Frances was born in Hope, Arkansas to C.W. Griffin and Dena Gandy and spent her early years in Hope, Arkansas; Olla, Louisiana; and Monroe, Louisiana. She graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in 1944. She attended business school and went to work for H.R. Hayes Lumber Co. as a bookkeeper. She attended the Methodist Church in Monroe and was a member of the choir. This is where she met the love of her life, Roland Glaze. They were married on April 7, 1951 in Monroe and then moved to Houston, where Frances worked for Humble Oil & Refining Company while Roland went to the University of Houston. After his graduation, they started their family and had 3 children – Guy in 1957, Mary in 1959 and John in 1961. After Roland’s untimely death in December of 1960, Frances moved to Groves, TX. She attended Lamar State College and received a BA in Education. She started a new career with Port Neches ISD, where she taught 2nd grade for many years at Van Buren Elementary, all while raising her 3 children. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Lamar University and a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Sam Houston State University. After 25 years of teaching, she retired and devoted much of her time to her church, the United Methodist Temple. She was a devoted member of the United Methodist Women, the Society of St. Stephen, the chancel choir and she also taught Sunday school for the Mothers’ Class. She enjoyed traveling with her sister and made trips to Europe, Israel and Africa.
Frances was lovingly dubbed “Saint Frances” by many because of her loving, caring and humble mannerisms. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roland Glaze; her son, Guy Roland Glaze; her daughter, Mary Glaze; and her brothers, Lt. Col. Harry Griffin and Jack Griffin. She is survived by her son, John Charles Glaze and wife, Petronella, of Alvin, TX; sister, Charles Dena Pitchfork and husband, Barry, of Mercer Island, WA; daughter-in-law Robin Shelden and husband, Bill of Nederland, TX; Granddaughters Kelly Windhorst and husband, Richard, of Groves, TX; Sarah Borello and husband, James, of Groves, TX; Chelsea Moore and husband, Clint, of Port Neches, TX; and seven great-grandchildren – Genevieve, Clark and Abraham Windhorst; Joseph and Jacob Borello; and Ellie and Adeline Moore.
A visitation for family and friends will begin at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the United Methodist Temple, 4101 Hwy 73, Port Arthur, Texas followed by the funeral service at 5:00 p.m.
Burial will be Monday, September 24, 2018 at Garden of Memories Cemetery in El Campo, Texas under the direction of Levingston Funeral Home in Groves.
The family would like to thank all the people who helped Frances through the last part of her life: her dear friend, Sybil Baker; her long-time caregivers – Karen Rich, Margaret Banks and Matilda Martin; her nurses and aides from Compassion Hospice, Pulse Health Care and Quality Care; and especially her daughter-in-law, Robin Shelden and her husband, Bill, with whom she lived for the past 18 months. She will be missed by all who knew her. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the United Methodist Women of the United Methodist Temple.