Mary Hoy OWEN

1923 - 1997  (74 years)

• Name	Mary Hoy OWEN
  Birth	12 Feb 1923	Athens, Henderson County, Texas, USA
  Gender	Female
  _UID	E3CBC558A4F54B1A9651C7CF35C38AB27AE1
  Death	14 Aug 1997	Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA
  Burial	18 Aug 1997	Owen Cemetery, Athens, Henderson County, Texas, USA
  Notes	Born at Athens, Texas, to Jack and Lillie Owen. Mary moved to Washington, D. C., to work as a member of the staff of Congressman Albert Thomas, D. Tex. She returned to Texas in 1946, and to Houston, where she married the late F. Jack Greenwood. Their son, the late Gary Owen Greenwood, was born the following year. Mary soon became the cornerstone of Houston's volunteer and philanthropic community, devoting her almosttireless efforts to the March of Dimes. She served not only as its chairperson of the first Mothers March on Polio in 1951, but also the following two years. After serving the March of Dimes as its Campaign Director for two years and its chairperson for two years, she became the State Advisor for the orginization of chapters in 36 counties, and was honored at the MOD's first fundraising gala in 1974. Elected in 1975 to serve on the board of directors of the national March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, she remained on that board for decades, and subsequently served as its first female vice-chairperson. In the national arena, Mary also was elected in 1985 to the Board of Trustees of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, CA. A founding member of Houston's Home of St. Mark's Adoption Agency, she was chairperson of that organization's Endowment Fund. She also was a longtime member of Baylor Ten of the Baylor College of Medicine, and served as its 1996-1997 President. An active early supporter of the Houston Grand Opera, she also maintained ongoing interests in the Blue Bird Circle and the D.A.R. Mary, a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, was the donor of the Will and Ruth Jackson - Mary Owen Greenwood Collection of 5000 rare books to the Cody Library at Southwestern University at Georgetown, Texas. Predeceased by her only child, Gary Owen Greenwood in 1994, she is survived by her grandson, Owen Weston Greenwood of Charlottsville, Virginia; brother David Allen Owen of Richardson, Texas; devoted friend Sam Segari; sisters Martha Owen Taylor and Lucy Dee McIntire, both of Athens, Texas; numerous cousins and a multitude of bereaved friends. She has left behind all of those who will cherish the memories of her tireless efforts for those less fortunate.
  Person ID	I1725	America
  Last Modified	1 Jan 2026

  
  

  Family	Francis Jack GREENWOOD,   b. 8 Mar 1915, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas, USA d. 1 May 1969, Mt Vernon, Texas, USA (Age 54 years)
  Marriage	18 May 1946	Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA
  Children	1. Gary Owen GREENWOOD,   b. 21 Jul 1947, Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA d. 28 Dec 1994, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA (Age 47 years)
  Family ID	F928	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Jan 2015

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 12 Feb 1923 - Athens, Henderson County, Texas, USA Burial - 18 Aug 1997 - Owen Cemetery, Athens, Henderson County, Texas, USA  = Link to Google Earth