Mary Beatrice Houston

Mary Beatrice Houston (formerly Mary B Scott), age 94, of Marion passed Tuesday, December 16, 2014 during the early morning hours following a long illness. Mary was born August 1, 1920, in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Nellie E Scott and William Scott. Mary moved with her family to Marion at the age of two. It was in Marion that she chose to live and raise her own family. Mary was a part of a family with a firm work ethic and she held a number of positions within the community. She started her work career with the Harding Hotel while she was still in school. As a server, she met a number of people within the community. She was a secretary for the Marion YMCA for a number of years. She left there to assume her role with the Council on Aging and became the director for Marion as well as Marion and Crawford Counties. Mary served her community in many different ways over the years. She was on the Regional Planning Commission for Marion, Ohio. She ran for Councilwoman at Large for Marion. She was the President of the Marion Branch of the NAACP for 38 years and was the secretary for the State of Ohio NAACP office. She was on the Advisory Board for the Regional and National NAACP. She was honored as the National Woman of the year in 1996. This honor was bestowed upon her by the National NAACP officers. As a part of her tenure, she met with two presiding Presidents of the United States in Washington DC. For her part in the Civil Rights movement she was honored to be a part of the discussions with Senators and Congressmen. Her greatest meeting at that time was with Martin Luther King and his wife. She remained available to help any of the citizens in her area over the years and left this life with dignity and grace. Mary was a faithful, lifelong member of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Marion. She served as a secretary for the church as well as Choir Director and Sunday School teacher. Her service to them and her Heavenly Father came from her heart. Mary was preceded in death by her husband; John W. Houston, a son; Chester Goines and a daughter; Merry Sue Alexander. She was also preceded in death by her brothers; Calvin Scott and William Scott and her sister; Leavata Tyler.
Mary leaves behind four children; William "Duke" (Martina) Goines of Mansfield, Ohio, Joseph (Claire) Goines of Crestline, Ohio, Otis (Azizza) Goines of Sacramento, California and Leavata Goines of Marion, Ohio. She also leaves 11 Grandchildren, 22 Great Grandchildren, and 6 Great-Great Grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and great nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by her remaining brother; Otis "Bill" Scott of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina and her sister-in- law; Marion Scott of Dayton, Ohio. Mary has certainly taught us all the meaning of standing firm. She has been through two World Wars, a man walking on the moon, racial unrest, the Great Depression, the deaths of two children and the election of an African American as President. She raised her own children with a strong work ethic which in turn they have passed on to their own children. Her faith in her Heavenly Father gave her the strength to carry on in a world where kindness can be lacking. She showed her family how to face what life hands to them and to accept where their own decisions lead them. Life was not easy for Mary but then again, she never expected that it would be easy.