Mary Elizabeth Means

One of the first things that people noticed about Mary was her ability to make everyone at ease. From children to university presidents, Mary saw the best in each person and made certain they knew it. The second thing people noticed was that Mary lived to serve, whether it was as a volunteer at First United Methodist Church in Commerce, TX, as a band mom for all 5 of her children, or playing piano and reading the newspaper at the nursing home, Mary knew that the greatest gift is to give a hand up to anyone and everyone. Mary Elizabeth Bundy Means left a legacy of love, laughter, light, and music as she passed on June 3, 2025 at the age of 100, three months shy of her 101st birthday.

Mary was born in Lindale, Texas on September 7, 1924. She was the second child of Esther Crews Bundy and Benjamin David Bundy. Mary adored her older brother, Ray Edwin Bundy, who was killed in WWII and is buried in Manila American Cemetery. Mary grew up in Winnsboro, Texas, and upon her 1942 graduation from Winnsboro High School, home of the Woodchucks as Mary loved to say, she attended secretarial school. To do her part for the war effort stateside, she worked as a telegraph operator in Alamogordo, New Mexico. She often regaled her family with stories of riding the troop train from deep east Texas to New Mexico. She was also tasked with making visits to homes near the Alamogordo base to deliver death and injury notices to families of soldiers serving in battle.

In 1946 in Winnsboro, Mary met Jack Means, a recently disabled Army Corpsman. They fell in love and married. Soon they were joined by twin boys, Ron and Don, then a parade of girls – Debby, Samantha, and Davia. Mary and Jack lived in Winnsboro and Lubbock for a bit where she played piano at the neighborhood Presbyterian church. Then in 1956 they moved to Commerce. Mary believed in giving back to the community, as shown in her decades of volunteerism at FUMC Commerce, Commerce ISD, and the Commerce nursing homes. Additionally, she had her own business, repairing venetian blinds for Commerce homeowners, businesses, and East Texas State University. She also babysat the children of several Commerce ISD teachers, specifically growing a life-long closeness with Nan & Dave Saucier and Janet & Conner John. At home, wherever Mary went, a few dogs were sure to follow!

Not one to sit still, Mary reveled in her children’s high school days, especially being Band Mom for the CHS band. She was given the Band Parent Emeritus award in 1982, when her last child graduated Commerce High School. Mary created a household where her children’s friends were always welcome, becoming a second mom to many, including the sisters of Gamma Upsilon chapter of Kappa Delta. Dozens of adults still call Mary “Mother Mary”.

Service to her church was very important to Mary. She often said that, early on when she was not able to give money to the church, her service became her tithe. And boy, did Mary serve! She played piano at FUMC Commerce for 60 years. Early morning service, vespers, Sunday school classes for the Susanna Wesley and Charles Wesley groups, as well as Wednesday non-denominational services at the nursing homes all benefited from Mary’s joyful piano playing. She volunteered at FUMC Commerce in other ways as well. She helped grow Little Ark, the church’s pre-school, scrimped and saved to buy handbells for the newly formed FUMC Handbell Choir and was one of the original members of the Handbell Choir. And, as many a Methodist minister can attest, it was no secret that when a new minister was selected to serve FUMC Commerce, they had to be certain to meet with “Miss Mary” – and she ministered to them as only a church mom could.

She had a quick wit, loved a joke (even “mom” jokes), loved to laugh even when times were tough, a trait she passed to her children. Laughter through tears got the family through many hardships and brought us all a ray of sunshine. Though in the past several years her body started to fail her, the memories, stories, and satire still came easily even to the very end.

Mary loved learning and one of her proudest achievements is that all 5 children graduated college. She was a voracious reader, crossword puzzler, letter and poetry writer. As a lover of the written word, Mary kept lists. One recently found list was the things that she was thankful for: her sons for living with her, her daughters, her grandchildren and great grands, her dog, her church, her friends, her piano, and her God “who loves me just as I am.” One of her biggest joys was delighting in her grandchildren and great grands, each holding a special place in her heart and adding to the music of her life. As Mary loved to say, “It Is Well With My Soul.”

Mary was preceded in death by her brother Ray Bundy, parents Esther and Benny Bundy, one grandchild David Ray Means, son-in-law Lynn McCord, and husband Jack Means, as well as many beloved dogs.

She is survived by her children Ron Means, Don Means, Debby Means McCord, Samantha Means Lumpkins (Randy), Davia Means Madariaga (Albert); her grandchildren Christopher Means (Linda), Mallory McCord Batio (Jon), Ethan Brooks (Cindy), Kathleen Brooks, Paden Marlin, Morgan Marlin; blended grandchildren Liz Melton and Matt Lumpkins; and her great grands Carys Batio, Caitriona Means, Scotaidh Means, Josiah Brooks, Noah Brooks, and Ellie Brooks.

Visitation will be from 4p – 6p on Sunday June 8th, at Jones-Walker & Sons Funeral Home in Commerce, Tx. Services will be at 2p on Monday, June 9th, at the First United Methodist Church in Commerce, Tx, with burial following at Brigham Cemetery in Campbell, Tx. Pallbearers are sons-in-law Randy Lumpkins and Albert Madariaga, grandsons Ethan Brooks, Paden Marlin, Jon Batio, and honorary grandson Billy Saucier. Honorary pallbearers are Eddy Brooks, Craig Jensen, Charlie Smith, Wyman Williams, and Tom Turner.

Flowers or donations to the FUMC Music Fund are welcome. Keep music in your heart, laughter on your lips, and a twinkle of mischief in your eye – and think of Mary.