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Mary was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on February 11, 1936. Mary was the eldest daughter on Adele Berger Colvin and Joseph Wesley Colvin, MD.
"The Colvins lived at 219 Hosea, a house with 2 apartments that grandpa George Berger owned.
Florence and Al lived downstairs. Mary was born during her dad's junior year. His classmates took up a collection to buy the baby a gift and it amounted to $3.54. No one had money.
In 1939 the Colvins lived on Terrace Ave in Clifton. About 6 months later they bought an old house on Ludlow at the corner of Whitfield. The first floor front rooms were her dad’s office.
On December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In February1942 her Dad enlisted in the Navy. The family stayed in Cincinnati until her Dad was assigned to Cleveland , Ohio. The family rented a home in Rocky River for the summer, then rented at 21669 Kenwood Ave. in Rocky River through the fall and winter. Mary went to the parochial school and Joey to kindergarten.
In September 1943 the family drove to Corpus Christie, Texas, living first in a one room house then in a 3 room cottage on the beach until March of 1944. Her Dad expected orders overseas so he drove the family to Cincinnati. Adel and the children stayed with George and Nellie Berger until Adel found an apartment at 3394 Bishop St. in Clifton.
In November 1945 Doctor Joe was sent home to Norfolk, Va. The family rented a small house at 8246 Bygax Road in a Navy housing project. After 6 weeks, during a snow storm they moved to 419 Shepard Street, Chevy Chase, Md. Dr. Joe’s resignation from the Navy was finally accepted and the family spent Christmas 1946 with grandparents George and Nellie Berger.
On January 1, 1947 Dr. Joe, Adel and Joey left for Tucson, Arizona, leaving Mary and Ann at Sacred Heart Convent. Although Joey was better, warm weather was not the answer. The family sold the house at Ludlow and Whitfield in September they moved
into the old house on Berger Hill. In November they left for Texas. While Mary was the babysitter Dr. Joe and Adel house hunted. They found a house on Ashland Ave., Arlington Heights. Dr. Joe started his residency and the children were accepted at St. Alice school.
The children drove to and from school, O.L.V. and Laneri and later Nolan. As soon as Mary was 14, she got her license, so I (Adel) had only 1 year to be the chauffeur. In turn, each of the children took over the driving.
In 1949 the family leased a farm on Mary’s Creek, and 6 months later Dr. Joe found their present farm. They moved into it on June 2, 1950." *1
"Upon the Colvin family’s relocation to Fort Worth, Mary attended St. Alice School and Our Lady of Victory High School, from which she graduated in 1949 and 1952, respectively. She attended St. Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute, Indiana, and graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, in 1956, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry.
After graduation, Mary taught third and fourth grade at Holy Name and St. Ann’s schools in Houston for three years. On August 1, 1959, she married Andrew E. “Andy” Hill; they were the first couple married at the new parish of St. Peter the Apostle in Fort Worth. She spent the next twenty-five years raising eight children." *2
”Dr. Joe worked until February of 1962. On March 9, 1962 he died at home having decided he did not wish to go back into the hospital…. Mary came from Houston to help me. I couldn't have done without her.” *1
"Mary and Andy were active in the school life of their children, supporting St. Thomas More Parish School, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, and Saint Agnes Academy, all of Houston. For their combined dedication to Saint Agnes Academy, Mary and Andy were recognized by the Saint Agnes Board of Trustees with the Academy Guardian of Youth Award on May 16, 1993.
Returning to the University of St. Thomas, Mary earned a Master in Religious Education degree with a specialization in Spiritual Direction in 1988. Following this, she served as a spiritual director, first at the Cenacle Retreat House in Houston, and subsequently at the Catholic Renewal Center in Fort Worth.
In August 1994, Mary entered the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, earning a Master in Theological Studies degree in Hebrew Bible in May 1999. She continued her studies in the advanced Master of Theology degree program to continue her work in Hebrew Bible, under the supervision of her advisor and mentor, Dr. Toni Craven. Mary provided invaluable research assistance in the production of the landmark reference work Women in Scripture, a dictionary of named and unnamed women in the Hebrew Bible, her scholarship culminated in her thesis, Psalm 68: Song of the Wilderness, Translation and Commentary Notes, which she defended with distinction on November 24, 2003.
Mary was a loving daughter, sister, wife and mother. She is survived by her husband, four siblings, eight children, and sixteen grandchildren. She also leaves behind countless friends and colleagues, especially at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas and at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Aledo, Texas. She received the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick from Rev. Joseph Redican, CSB, her long-time friend, and skilled, compassionate care from the Community Hospice of Texas." *2
*1 from Adel's Story
*2 from Mary's Obit
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