Mrs. Mary L. Bufford
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Mary Louise Harmon was born to John and Cora Harmon. She graduated from Charlton Pollard High School in the Class of 1952 in Beaumont, Texas. Mary graduated from Texas College in Tyler, Texas, in 1956, where she met and married Addie Bufford She also joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. After a stint working at The Beaumont Club; she started her career as an educator teaching kindergarten at George Washington Carver Elementary School in Beaumont. She taught 1st and 2nd grades at Carver Elementary until she agreed to become a diversity pioneer by becoming the first Black educator at Roy Guess Elementary School in Beaumont She continued educating students at Roy Guess until she retired in 1997 She was a devoted member of McCabe-Roberts Ave. United Methodist Church for life, where she taught Sunday School and worked on the Usher board Mary was preceded in death by her parents, John and Cora Harmon; aunt, Corinne (Mama) Batiste; ex-husband, Addie Bufford; and her brother, John 'Sporty' Harmon. She leaves a family legacy to her son and wife, Aubrey Dwaine and Debra Bufford; grandchildren, Torean Bufford and Terin Bates (Dewayne); great-grandchildren, Lennox Bates and Brielle Bates; niece, Debra Woodard; nephew, Demetrius Harmon; cousins, Jeanette Davis, Susie Mines and Eldrige "Sonny Boy" Marks; special friends since 3rd grade-Delores Sennette and Fred Simon, also, Annette Bias, Carol Marks, Valeda Jennings, Sandra Johnson, Alicia Williams and a host of other cousins, relatives, friends, and colleagues. There will be a visitation at 9 a.m. until the Celebration of Life service at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 19, 2022, at McCabe-Roberts Ave. UMC, 1205 Roberts Ave., in Beaumont. She will be entombed at Magnolia Cemetery and Mausoleum.