Mary Helen Layman

Mary Helen Layman, 96 of Waco, passed away Friday, April 20, 2018.

Graveside Service: 10 am Wednesday, April 25 at Wortham Bend Cemetery in China Spring.

Mary Helen was born in Midvale, Idaho on Oct. 4, 1921. She was the last surviving daughter of her mother, Mary Christine Gabriel Layman and her father, Robert Emmett Layman. She has 2 sisters and 3 brothers, all of whom preceded her in death.

She is survived by many nieces and nephews, and by her companion, partner, roommate, and loyal friend of over 35 years, Jackie Conley.

Mary was an RN, a CRNA, and a Anesthetist. She received her nurse’s training at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston, TX for 3 years, and for 1 year in 1951 at St. Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. She retired at the age of 62.

She was very adventuresome, and along with Jackie, spent many years in her motor home crisscrossing Southwestern and Western states panning for gold, camping, rock hounding, visiting and participating in craft shows, and sight-seeing the natural wonders of God’s creation. She demonstrated her talent and skillful hands in many ways including sewing for her nieces, beading, quilting, rock polishing, and faceting precious stones, and even poodle grooming.

Mary Helen joined with Jackie in providing a loving home, parental care, full support, and educational enrichment for Jackies’s 4 month old great-grandson, “Scotty” McDonald, through his high school graduation and beyond. Scotty affectionately called Mary Helen “Mom” and refers to Jackie at “GG”.

While continuing occasional ongoing motor home odysseys, Mary Helen and Jackie made 3 major “stops” where they purchased and settled in homes for several years: Midland, TX; Las Vegas, NV; and China Spring/Waco, TX. Prior to Mary Helen’s final illness, these adventuresome twosome were planning to move to the Austin, TX area to be closer to family.

She will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fuzzy Friend’s Rescue in Waco, TX.

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