MARY LOUISE (HALE) WOOLBRIGHT

Blessed by God for safe-keeping on March 3, 1944, Mary Louise Hale was born to Myrtle and Richmond “Dock” Hale, the 3rd oldest of 8 children. The family moved to Houston, Texas when she was a young girl. There, she attended Evan E. Worthing High School.

Known as Louise by family and friends, she accepted Christ as her savior at First Baptist Church, where she was baptized at a young age. Until the Lord called her home, Louise was a beloved member of First Thessalonians Full Gospel Church in Houston, Texas and True Light Holiness Church in  Lufkin, Texas.  She was a watchcare member of Outreach  Ministries.

After moving to Houston, she continued to spend time in Huntington, Texas with her favorite Aunt “Pigeon” where she learned to sew.  Louise perfected her gift of sewing over the years becoming the “go-to” seamstress to family, friends and many others. Known by her niece, Andrea, as the “Family Fashionista”, she loved fashion and home decorating.  A little-known fact, Louise had a phenomenal singing voice but always chose to sing in the background.  She enjoyed completing crossword and Sudoku puzzles, and reading.

At the age of 17, on her way to church, she met the love of her life, Herman Woolbright, on his first day in the “Big City”. The two would go on to marry and recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Louise worked at Continental Can and GeoSource for several years before choosing to stay home and raise her three children; Anthony, Sabrina and  Kimberly, while supporting her husband throughout his career in the Houston Fire Department. She loved her family fiercely and was very protective of them, especially her grandchildren. Offering encouragement, support, discipline and love throughout their lives, she kept her family covered in prayer.

Louise also played an integral role in the care of many family members including her mother, younger siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews. To all she touched she poured love and wisdom upon them.  Although she only had three biological children, she “mothered” many more including her “other” son and daughter, Bertan Bilton and Patricia Law. She loved all of her nieces and nephews as if they were her own. She stepped in as a surrogate grandmother to her niece, LaShondra Maxwell and nephews, Jerome and Tevron Maxwell and made sure her baby sister Sandraknew that she held grandmother  privileges.

Even in sickness, she maintained her feistiness and wittiness but more importantly she  remained a     faithful servant. In the early morning hours of December 12, 2024, God called her home to rest eternally with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  She was preceded in transition by her parents, daughter (Sabrina Gale Woolbright),  four sisters (Ava A. Hale, Myrtle M. Phillips, Martha A. Hale and Linda C. Wortham), two brothers (Pastor John W. Hale and Pastor Robert O. Hale) and special aunt (Arsie A. Mullins).

Left to honor her life and cherish her memory are her husband of 60 years, Herman Woolbright; son, Anthony R. Woolbright; daughter, Kimberly Banks (Cleveland); granddaughters, Brittney Woolbright, Lauryn Banks, Zayla and Zahlee Woolbright; grandsons, Torrance Woolbright and Ryan Banks; 2 great-grandsons: Santana Brown and Kamari Woolbright; sister, Sandra Maxwell (Pastor Lester Maxwell),  and a host of other relatives and friends.

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