Mary Catherine Edwards

Donna- Mary Catherine Edwards, 67, passed away on Friday, May 26, 2023, at Valley Grande Manor in Weslaco, Texas. She was born on July 16, 1955, in Mercedes, Texas, to Olus Eugene and Barbara Ann Boyce Edwards.

Mary Catherine grew up in Donna. She was active in the band and enjoyed playing percussion instruments, piano, and guitar. After graduating from Donna High School in 1973, she began her nursing studies at San Antonio College and continued at Pan American University. After working in Christian education for several years, Mary Catherine fell in love with teaching. She later attended Texas A&M University in Kingsville and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas, Pan American in Edinburg, in 1991. Mary worked for Donna ISD for sixteen years as a high school English and reading teacher, an elementary teacher, and a librarian.  

Her love of the Lord and her Servant’s heart pulled her away from teaching after the first nine years, and she began working as a Christian Education Director and Program and Youth Director at various Methodist churches in Texas. She served in that capacity at First United Methodist Church in Donna, St. Mark’s U.M.C, McAllen, First U.M.C, Beeville, St. John’s U.M.C, Corpus Christi, First U.M.C, Harlingen, First U.M.C, Kingsville, First U.M.C, Weslaco, and Wesley U.M.C, in Harlingen. In addition, Mary Catherine had a tremendous impact on youth through her involvement with summer camps at Camp Thicket, youth rallies, outreach programs, service projects, bible studies, the Emmaus Community, and any other church ministry that allowed her to share her faith with others. 

Finally, needing to get closer to home, Mary Catherine returned to Donna ISD as a librarian for seven more years before retiring due to health issues.  

Mary Catherine Edwards was preceded in death by her mother, Barbara Ann Boyce Edwards, her father, Olus Eugene Edwards, and her two brothers, Keith Eugene Edwards and Kent Woodson Edwards. She is survived by her brother, Mark Richardson Edwards, and wife Patricia of Beeville, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Enedelia Edwards, and Debra Edwards; two nieces, Kristin Edwards Strandin and Emily Edwards; six nephews, Elijah Edwards, Joshua Edwards, Benjamin Edwards, Mark Edwards, Colton Edwards, and Dustin Edwards; an uncle, Jimmy Edwards, and numerous grandnieces, grandnephews, and cousins. 

Donations in memory of Mary Catherine can be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at  www.cff.org/donate. 

Burial of ashes will be Saturday, June 3, at 9 am, at Donna City Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at First United Methodist Church in Weslaco at 10 am.