Ava Mears
Faleceu
Ava Jean McDaniel Mears
1927-2019
Ava Jean McDaniel Mears passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her children on January 6, 2019. Born in Alhambra, California on May 1, 1927, Ava Jean was the youngest of two daughters of Mildred and Lock McDaniel Jr. While in High School, she heard the tenor Jussi Bjoerling sing, inspiring a life-long love of opera. She studied English and history at Rice Institute and, after graduating in 1949, studied at the University of Oslo, then hitchhiked through Europe before returning to Houston. While working as the first secretary of the Contemporary Arts Association, she met the artist Herb Mears during a silk-screen demonstration. Herb proposed on their first date and they married six weeks later. Ava Jean and Herb began an adventure-filled life together centered around raising their three children, travel, and the arts, both visual and performing. In 1966, Herb and Ava Jean moved the family to Antibes, France for a year. She took cooking classes in Nice while Herb painted in a studio behind the apartment, the children attending French public schools. Returning to Houston, Ava Jean worked for Houston Grand Opera, in public relations and later as archivist, which for 35 years brought her into contact with writers, composers, directors, musicians, set designers and singers from around the world. She was the devoted opera fan who would attend every performance of every production, including dress rehearsals, and could be seen backstage after performances, waiting to congratulate performers. Ava Jean was gregarious, passionate and supportive of liberal causes. She will be dearly missed. Ava Jean is preceded in death by her husband Herb Mears, sister Tex Elman, nephews Corey and Jeff Elman. She is survived by three children Hilary, Kirby, Andrew, daughter-in-law, Kathleen Baker Mears, three grandchildren Will Rhoades, Louis and Elliott Mears. The family is grateful for the lifelong friendship of the Vickers family, the late Robert Vickers, wife Inga and their children and families. The family would also like to thank Ava Jean's wonderful caregiver of the last year, Cecille Hincayog. Services will be held Saturday, February 16th at 4PM in the chapel of the Rice Memorial Center on the Rice campus. In lieu of flowers, donations to Houston Grand Opera Studio would be greatly appreciated.
Photo credit to:
Jim Caldwell
1927-2019
Ava Jean McDaniel Mears passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her children on January 6, 2019. Born in Alhambra, California on May 1, 1927, Ava Jean was the youngest of two daughters of Mildred and Lock McDaniel Jr. While in High School, she heard the tenor Jussi Bjoerling sing, inspiring a life-long love of opera. She studied English and history at Rice Institute and, after graduating in 1949, studied at the University of Oslo, then hitchhiked through Europe before returning to Houston. While working as the first secretary of the Contemporary Arts Association, she met the artist Herb Mears during a silk-screen demonstration. Herb proposed on their first date and they married six weeks later. Ava Jean and Herb began an adventure-filled life together centered around raising their three children, travel, and the arts, both visual and performing. In 1966, Herb and Ava Jean moved the family to Antibes, France for a year. She took cooking classes in Nice while Herb painted in a studio behind the apartment, the children attending French public schools. Returning to Houston, Ava Jean worked for Houston Grand Opera, in public relations and later as archivist, which for 35 years brought her into contact with writers, composers, directors, musicians, set designers and singers from around the world. She was the devoted opera fan who would attend every performance of every production, including dress rehearsals, and could be seen backstage after performances, waiting to congratulate performers. Ava Jean was gregarious, passionate and supportive of liberal causes. She will be dearly missed. Ava Jean is preceded in death by her husband Herb Mears, sister Tex Elman, nephews Corey and Jeff Elman. She is survived by three children Hilary, Kirby, Andrew, daughter-in-law, Kathleen Baker Mears, three grandchildren Will Rhoades, Louis and Elliott Mears. The family is grateful for the lifelong friendship of the Vickers family, the late Robert Vickers, wife Inga and their children and families. The family would also like to thank Ava Jean's wonderful caregiver of the last year, Cecille Hincayog. Services will be held Saturday, February 16th at 4PM in the chapel of the Rice Memorial Center on the Rice campus. In lieu of flowers, donations to Houston Grand Opera Studio would be greatly appreciated.
Photo credit to:
Jim Caldwell
Fonte: Houston Chronicle
Publicado em: 13-01-2019