Our mother left this life that she so vibrantly lived for 94 plus years on the 25th of May 2015, surrounded by her children.
At her very core, she was a mother and then a Yia Yia (even an "O Yia Yia") – to her own and to many others who adopted her. She leaves behind a legacy of great love and memories of her exceptional beauty and radiant smile that could light up any room.
Born in Galveston to Katina and Mike Mitchell, poor Greek immigrants, Maria and her three older brothers lost their mother at an early age. She fulfilled her mother's dream of going to college and graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor. From there she went to San Antonio where she worked as a secretary, danced with a big grin on her face to the big band music of that era and lost her heart to a handsome flight surgeon, Alando Jones "Jay" Ballantyne. After just three months, they married and were then separated by the war. Following the war, her husband's training took them to Houston where Jay was the first surgical resident at M.D. Anderson and then to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They settled in Houston where they raised seven "wonderful" children (as Mom always said) during their 52 years together.
Mom's dream was to marry a man her children could respect and to create the home she never had growing up. That she did. We adored and respected our father, an internationally renowned head and neck cancer surgeon who worked at M.D. Anderson his entire career. The warm, inviting, beautiful home she created was constantly filled with her children's friends, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and the 26 people from all over the world who lived with Mom at various times. The famous Christmas parties hosted for over 45 years and pool parties for Dad's residents filled our home with music, joy and laughter. Our home was also a haven for those in need – from the poorest hospital patients to royalty. Mom treated princes and paupers precisely the same – with respect and a strong dose of her unique brand of truth serum sprinkled with a sailor's vernacular. Parking attendants, waiters, bus boys, and shop owners would run to kiss her because she saw them – really saw them – and made them feel special.
Mom's civic activities included The Park People, Blue Bird Circle and the Annunciation Orthodox School Board. She could beat all seven of her children at tennis and as legend has it, even beat her brother, George Mitchell, when he was captain of A&M's tennis team. But her focus was always her children and their families. She was a fixture at St. John's School where she and her husband cheered zealously at her children's sporting and music events. No mother could have given more to her seven children and their spouses, her 21 grandchildren and their spouses, her 11 great grandchildren, her 12 Mitchell nieces and nephews and their families, her Ballantyne in-laws and 20 nieces and nephews and their families and her "adopted" children she leaves behind. The outpouring of love extended to her by all of these in her last days is the greatest testament to a life well lived and a heart that loved completely. Her consistent message of the importance of family, gratitude, persistence, forgiveness and unconditional love is imprinted on her heirs and will echo for generations to come.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Sunday, the 31st of May, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
Maria's memorial service is to be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 1st of June at the Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd, Houston, TX 77019.
Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment service at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.
At her very core, she was a mother and then a Yia Yia (even an "O Yia Yia") – to her own and to many others who adopted her. She leaves behind a legacy of great love and memories of her exceptional beauty and radiant smile that could light up any room.
Born in Galveston to Katina and Mike Mitchell, poor Greek immigrants, Maria and her three older brothers lost their mother at an early age. She fulfilled her mother's dream of going to college and graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor. From there she went to San Antonio where she worked as a secretary, danced with a big grin on her face to the big band music of that era and lost her heart to a handsome flight surgeon, Alando Jones "Jay" Ballantyne. After just three months, they married and were then separated by the war. Following the war, her husband's training took them to Houston where Jay was the first surgical resident at M.D. Anderson and then to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They settled in Houston where they raised seven "wonderful" children (as Mom always said) during their 52 years together.
Mom's dream was to marry a man her children could respect and to create the home she never had growing up. That she did. We adored and respected our father, an internationally renowned head and neck cancer surgeon who worked at M.D. Anderson his entire career. The warm, inviting, beautiful home she created was constantly filled with her children's friends, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and the 26 people from all over the world who lived with Mom at various times. The famous Christmas parties hosted for over 45 years and pool parties for Dad's residents filled our home with music, joy and laughter. Our home was also a haven for those in need – from the poorest hospital patients to royalty. Mom treated princes and paupers precisely the same – with respect and a strong dose of her unique brand of truth serum sprinkled with a sailor's vernacular. Parking attendants, waiters, bus boys, and shop owners would run to kiss her because she saw them – really saw them – and made them feel special.
Mom's civic activities included The Park People, Blue Bird Circle and the Annunciation Orthodox School Board. She could beat all seven of her children at tennis and as legend has it, even beat her brother, George Mitchell, when he was captain of A&M's tennis team. But her focus was always her children and their families. She was a fixture at St. John's School where she and her husband cheered zealously at her children's sporting and music events. No mother could have given more to her seven children and their spouses, her 21 grandchildren and their spouses, her 11 great grandchildren, her 12 Mitchell nieces and nephews and their families, her Ballantyne in-laws and 20 nieces and nephews and their families and her "adopted" children she leaves behind. The outpouring of love extended to her by all of these in her last days is the greatest testament to a life well lived and a heart that loved completely. Her consistent message of the importance of family, gratitude, persistence, forgiveness and unconditional love is imprinted on her heirs and will echo for generations to come.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Sunday, the 31st of May, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
Maria's memorial service is to be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 1st of June at the Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd, Houston, TX 77019.
Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment service at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.
Our mother left this life that she so vibrantly lived for 94 plus years on the 25th of May 2015, surrounded by her children.
At her very core, she was a mother and then a Yia Yia (even an "O Yia Yia") – to her own and to many others who adopted her. She leaves behind a legacy of great love and memories of her exceptional beauty and radiant smile that could light up any room.
Born in Galveston to Katina and Mike Mitchell, poor Greek immigrants, Maria and her three older brothers lost their mother at an early age. She fulfilled her mother's dream of going to college and graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor. From there she went to San Antonio where she worked as a secretary, danced with a big grin on her face to the big band music of that era and lost her heart to a handsome flight surgeon, Alando Jones "Jay" Ballantyne. After just three months, they married and were then separated by the war. Following the war, her husband's training took them to Houston where Jay was the first surgical resident at M.D. Anderson and then to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They settled in Houston where they raised seven "wonderful" children (as Mom always said) during their 52 years together.
Mom's dream was to marry a man her children could respect and to create the home she never had growing up. That she did. We adored and respected our father, an internationally renowned head and neck cancer surgeon who worked at M.D. Anderson his entire career. The warm, inviting, beautiful home she created was constantly filled with her children's friends, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and the 26 people from all over the world who lived with Mom at various times. The famous Christmas parties hosted for over 45 years and pool parties for Dad's residents filled our home with music, joy and laughter. Our home was also a haven for those in need – from the poorest hospital patients to royalty. Mom treated princes and paupers precisely the same – with respect and a strong dose of her unique brand of truth serum sprinkled with a sailor's vernacular. Parking attendants, waiters, bus boys, and shop owners would run to kiss her because she saw them – really saw them – and made them feel special.
Mom's civic activities included The Park People, Blue Bird Circle and the Annunciation Orthodox School Board. She could beat all seven of her children at tennis and as legend has it, even beat her brother, George Mitchell, when he was captain of A&M's tennis team. But her focus was always her children and their families. She was a fixture at St. John's School where she and her husband cheered zealously at her children's sporting and music events. No mother could have given more to her seven children and their spouses, her 21 grandchildren and their spouses, her 11 great grandchildren, her 12 Mitchell nieces and nephews and their families, her Ballantyne in-laws and 20 nieces and nephews and their families and her "adopted" children she leaves behind. The outpouring of love extended to her by all of these in her last days is the greatest testament to a life well lived and a heart that loved completely. Her consistent message of the importance of family, gratitude, persistence, forgiveness and unconditional love is imprinted on her heirs and will echo for generations to come.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Sunday, the 31st of May, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
Maria's memorial service is to be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 1st of June at the Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd, Houston, TX 77019.
Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment service at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.
At her very core, she was a mother and then a Yia Yia (even an "O Yia Yia") – to her own and to many others who adopted her. She leaves behind a legacy of great love and memories of her exceptional beauty and radiant smile that could light up any room.
Born in Galveston to Katina and Mike Mitchell, poor Greek immigrants, Maria and her three older brothers lost their mother at an early age. She fulfilled her mother's dream of going to college and graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor. From there she went to San Antonio where she worked as a secretary, danced with a big grin on her face to the big band music of that era and lost her heart to a handsome flight surgeon, Alando Jones "Jay" Ballantyne. After just three months, they married and were then separated by the war. Following the war, her husband's training took them to Houston where Jay was the first surgical resident at M.D. Anderson and then to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. They settled in Houston where they raised seven "wonderful" children (as Mom always said) during their 52 years together.
Mom's dream was to marry a man her children could respect and to create the home she never had growing up. That she did. We adored and respected our father, an internationally renowned head and neck cancer surgeon who worked at M.D. Anderson his entire career. The warm, inviting, beautiful home she created was constantly filled with her children's friends, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and the 26 people from all over the world who lived with Mom at various times. The famous Christmas parties hosted for over 45 years and pool parties for Dad's residents filled our home with music, joy and laughter. Our home was also a haven for those in need – from the poorest hospital patients to royalty. Mom treated princes and paupers precisely the same – with respect and a strong dose of her unique brand of truth serum sprinkled with a sailor's vernacular. Parking attendants, waiters, bus boys, and shop owners would run to kiss her because she saw them – really saw them – and made them feel special.
Mom's civic activities included The Park People, Blue Bird Circle and the Annunciation Orthodox School Board. She could beat all seven of her children at tennis and as legend has it, even beat her brother, George Mitchell, when he was captain of A&M's tennis team. But her focus was always her children and their families. She was a fixture at St. John's School where she and her husband cheered zealously at her children's sporting and music events. No mother could have given more to her seven children and their spouses, her 21 grandchildren and their spouses, her 11 great grandchildren, her 12 Mitchell nieces and nephews and their families, her Ballantyne in-laws and 20 nieces and nephews and their families and her "adopted" children she leaves behind. The outpouring of love extended to her by all of these in her last days is the greatest testament to a life well lived and a heart that loved completely. Her consistent message of the importance of family, gratitude, persistence, forgiveness and unconditional love is imprinted on her heirs and will echo for generations to come.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Sunday, the 31st of May, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
Maria's memorial service is to be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 1st of June at the Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd, Houston, TX 77019.
Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment service at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.
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