Mary Rex

Mary Emory Hill Rex, age 102, of Sour Lake, TX, passed from this life on Friday, June 17, 2022. She was born on March 4, 1920 in Washington D.C. to John LeVoy and Aline Christian Graves Hill.

Every so often on this Earth the Lord imparts a gift, a sweetness, goodness, and uniqueness in a person that is marked without the need of a word spoken; it is hidden in simplicity, covered in gentleness, and felt with the heart. In her humility, she never would have laid claim to such due praise, Emory was such a gift. Her life manifested it; her love personified it; and her character radiated it. She was a servant, starting with her family, and then flowing so freely to many others, her life was a life lived in service to the kingdom of God. Emory made everyone feel as a true friend, no matter if you just had met her or had known her for a lifetime. Her investment in whatever she did was sincere, without pretense or hesitation on her part. As a young woman in Annapolis, Maryland working as a teacher of dancing classes, she crossed the path of a young serviceman stationed there, Daniel, who felt to ask after her. They both were invited to a dinner party with some mutual friends, and after the luckiest coin flip of his life, Daniel won the honor over his friend Bill on giving her a ride home that evening, and from there a spark was lit that burned ever brighter each day of their lives together. When speaking to her mother, she said of Daniel, “I met the most interesting man that I’ve met in a long time.” That statement was her expression of something so subtle, yet sublime, the stirring souls of soulmates finally connecting for the first time. They sealed their love on October 3, 1942, and though he would be away for a short while during wartime serving in the Pacific, Daniel would come home to find out what life had in store for them. His Emory was not only the love of his life, but he discovered what treasure had been given him in her, that every man in the whole world would be blessed beyond measure to be loved the way she loved her husband. Their union blessed them with three children, who could not have asked for a better example in life than in “Mom” and “Dad”. Emory was proud of her heritage, being a descendant of passengers from the very second voyage to Jamestown, VA, and Daniel’s family’s descent from King George I of England. The Book of Proverbs tells that “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come..”, truly she lived this way and rejoiced as she entered her true home, greeted by the arms of her Savior and her beloved Daniel. Emory’s generosity of serving and unfettered, constant offering of her love, made an immeasurable impact on many hearts and defined for her family the meaning of unconditional.

Left to cherish her memory is her loving brother, Robert Hill and wife, Nancy, of Richmond, VA; son, Lloyd Ferrell Rex of Beaumont; daughters, Aline Beverly McEvoy and husband, Peter John, of Atlanta, GA and Loren Rex Oliver of Sour Lake; grandchildren, Daniel Ferrell Rex II, Clay Calhoun and wife, Kimberly, Emory Herbert and husband, Jay, Aline Beverly Graham, and Richard Allan Platt; great-grandchildren, Lily Calhoun, Caroline Calhoun, Margaret Calhoun, Henry Calhoun, Leighton Herbert, Charles Herbert, and Shiloh Platt; and a host of extended family, friends, and loved ones.

Preceding Emory in death is her dearest husband, Daniel Ferrell Rex; her parents; and sister, Frances Beverly Furniss.

She will be laid to rest Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. at New Live Oak Cemetery with Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing.