Mary Kathryn Alexander

Mary Kathryn Alexander June 14, 1926 – October 21, 2006 Mary Kathryn Alexander, age 80, of Waco, passed away Saturday, October 21, 2006. Memorial services will be held at 3:30 p.m.Wednesday, October 25, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Bosque Chapel with Father Alex Montes officiating. Mary K. was born on June 14, 1926 to Cresco Esta and Mary Esther Stemm in Elkhart, Indiana. Mary K. was a devoted wife, mother, performer and teacher. She was the loving wife of her husband of fifty-five years, Wesley Merle Alexander. Their marriage was truly an unusual bonding of spirit and heart and her love for him was unconditional as it was also for their four children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Mary K. was fun loving and adventuresome, caring and loving. She was extremely fond of traveling and made sure her children had many opportunities to learn about culture, history, food and music through travels both within the U.S. and abroad. Last but not least, Mary K. and her husband passed on their intense love and passion for music to their children and grandchildren. Mary K. was truly an accomplished harpist and musician. She graduated from Elkhart High School in 1943 and studied Harp Performance at the Eastman School of Music under Eileen Malone where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in 1947 as well as the seldom awarded Performer’s Certificate in Harp. She attended the Tanglewood Music Festival Institute in Massachusetts during the summers of 1947 and 1948 where she studied under Bernard Zighera. She played there under the direction of Conductor Serge Koussevitzky and also then Assistant Conductor, Leonard Bernstein. Mary K. taught harp and piano in the School of Music at Baylor University from 1948-1955 and from 1967-1986. She performed in the Waco Symphony for twenty-five years under the direction of Daniel Sternberg. She also played in the Baylor Symphony and the Baylor Opera. Over the course of her music career, Mary K. performed in the Washington D.C. Civic Symphony, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the South Bend Symphony. She performed with the National Harp Association and was a soloist with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. She also was a favorite harp performer on “Embassy Row” when the family lived in Washington D.C. Mary K. was, at various times in her life, a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Indiana and Herring Avenue Methodist, Trinity Methodist, Lake Shore Hills Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, and the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit churches in Waco and was a beloved choir member for many years. She blessed many Easter and Christmas Eve services with her harp performances. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her four children: David and wife, Marie Azzinaro of Oklahoma City; Kathryn, of New Haven, Connecticut; Sara and husband, Mahamane Mamadou of Waco; and Matthew and wife, Kathleen of San Antonio; grandchildren, Samantha Youts, Elizabeth Alexander, Olivia Bible, Noel Alexander, Salif Mahamane, Aissa Mahamane, Christopher Alexander, and Stephanie Alexander; and great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Barwick, Erin Wilson, and Alex Wilson. Memorial donations may be made to the W. Merle and Mary K. Alexander Endowment Scholarship Fund at Baylor University. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey