Jean Houston Holmes

Jean Holmes, 94, of Highland Village, and a longtime Texas educator, passed away Sept. 26. Graveside services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Oct. 9 at Oakwood Cemetery in Waco. Mrs. Holmes was born in Dallas to Estelle and Stanley Houston and grew up there. She graduated from Baylor University in the early 1950s, majoring in music education. Her career in education began in Lubbock, where she was an elementary school music teacher.

She soon met Bill Holmes, sports information director at Texas Tech University, and they married in 1955. They started their family in Lubbock, then moved to Kingsville in the late 1960s. Mr. Holmes worked for Texas A&I University and Mrs. Holmes went back to school, got certified in special education and became a special education teacher for Kingsville schools. She also sang in the choir for the First Baptist Church in Kingsville. Their three children followed her collegiate example and graduated from Baylor as well.

In the early 1980s, she and Mr. Holmes moved to Waco, where she once again began work as a special education teacher in the Waco school system.

During her time in Waco, Mrs. Holmes volunteered her time at one of the historic homes administered by Historic Waco, at the Mayborn Natural Science and Cultural History Museum and at the Methodist Children’s Home. At the Methodist Home, she sponsored a young man named Chris Dehart and mentored him through his education and personal development after leaving the home.

After her husband Bill passed away, she did not slow down, but traveled with her brother Bill Houston and his wife Trish and her mother or other companion to Europe a number of times and several locations across the U.S. and Canada. She also enjoyed keeping a house big enough for children and grandchildren to stay for several days. In addition, she was always eager to host dinners or parties of family members and friends. She encouraged family members to maintain their relationships and communications. Although a lifelong Texan, she liked to make her homes feel like old English country homes with some antiques and English-style decor.

In the 1990s, she retired and moved to Flower Mound to be near children and grandchildren. As a member of Valley Ranch Baptist Church, she taught a number English as a Second Language classes. At Valley Ranch she developed a new circle of friends that traveled together and then met regularly to play board games and go out for lunch. Among her favorite activities was helping her children as new grandchildren came into the world. She even made many trips to Maryland to help out and have fun with her family there.

She was known for her graciousness toward everyone she encountered and taught her children to see the good in every person.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Bill Houston of Stillwater, Okla., and her husband Bill. Survivors include her son Tommy Holmes (Natalie) of Crofton, Maryland, daughter Jeananne Genovese (Glenn) of Corinth and son Keith Holmes (Frann) of Flower Mound; grandchildren Robert and Michael Holmes of Maryland and William Genovese (Andrea) of Fort Worth, Derek Genovese (Molly) of Austin, Connor Genovese of Austin and Lisa Genovese of Corinth. Also, Chris Dehart (Sharon) and son David and daughter Paige.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco or Mission Waco or the scholarship fund for Baylor University’s Moody School of Education.