MARY HANCOCK CAIN
1925-2021
Mary Hancock Cain passed away peacefully on December 31, 2021 in Linville, North Carolina. The daughter of Kerfoot Bowen Hancock and Margaret White Hancock, she was born in Atlanta, Georgia on April 20, 1925. She spent her childhood in Atlanta and summers at her family home in Sea Island, Georgia.
At the young age of 16, Mary attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she was crowned Freshman Homecoming Queen at 17. During WWII she worked as an assistant to the president of Bell Aircraft outside of Atlanta. In 1943 she married Navy Lieutenant James D. Weaver, Jr. from Dawson, Georgia. Shortly after the war, they moved to Houston, Texas to work and raise a family. At first, she worked for an advertising company, and eventually took a position with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Following her marriage to Fred A. Buxton, she continued to work at the MFAH training docents and eventually as the assistant to then Director, James Johnson Sweeny. From 1968-1969 she served as Acting Director of the Museum, and afterwards as Curator of Exhibitions. Three of her more impressive exhibitions were for Louise Nevelson, Hans Hartung, and the “Touch Me” exhibition for the blind. In 1971 she moved to the Houston Symphony and became their Director of Public Relations.
On April 8, 1972 Mary married Gordon A. Cain with whom she lived happily until his death on October 22, 2002. She and her late husband traveled extensively and enjoyed much of their time at their homes in Houston, Linville, North Carolina, and Mountain Lake, Florida, and their weekend visits in the winter at their hunting lodge outside of El Campo, Texas. Gordon was the love of her life. Together, blessed with good fortune, they created The Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation, and developed a strong practice of philanthropy by giving generously to many charities and especially to scholarships and education. Several years after Gordon’s passing, Mary married Frank Edward Driscoll who predeceased her.
Mary was an avid student of art and art history, and enjoyed lecturing on those subjects. Her love of the outdoors and outdoor activities was ongoing throughout her life. She was an avid duck hunter and enjoyed the beauty and abundance of migratory birds throughout the coastal prairies of Texas. During the hunting season, she spent her weekends with her family at El Rancho de los Patos. Mary and Gordon were dedicated golfers and lovers of croquet where she won several tournaments at different venues. Her homes were always beautifully landscaped and decorated, attesting to her love of art and antiques.
Mary loved to entertain. She hosted hundreds of cocktail and dinner parties for her friends and family, and was always a magnet for developing new friends. Her sense of humor was incomparable, and she kept her guests helpless with laughter.
She loved her family very much and is survived by her children, Margaret (Peggy)
Weaver, James Weaver and his wife, Sharyn; her three grandchildren, Gordon Oehmig, Alyson Nicholas and her husband Evan,
Kyle Weaver and his wife Meredith; her great grandchildren, Wimberly and Presley Weaver, August and Rose Nicholas; her sister Margaret Virginia Lyle of Birmingham, Alabama; her nieces Margaret Samdahl and Mary Sella.
The family wishes to thank Pam Woods, for her 30 years of service in keeping Mary and the family’s business on track. A special thank you to Bell Bennett for her 35 years of friendship and devotion to the family. Also, much appreciation is sent to Malinda Jones and her sister Doris Hollins for their many years of dedication to the family.
The following people made Mary’s life an extraordinary one while she bravely lived with a stroke. She considered each one of the following a member of her family: Jessica Hughes, Dr. Joe Barker, Dr. Charlie Baker, Scottie Hazelgrove, Misti Wiley, Erik Mercado, Jason Mercado, Jarad Blackley, Jason Taylor, LaShea Whitaker, Laura Calloway, Tamara Goforth, Stephanie King, Jeannie
Johnson, Laura Sherrill, and Lori Alsabrook. In addition, the family wishes to thank Melissa Moody, Sheldon Ward, Conley Huffman, Deborah Hughes, Linda Moore, Robin Austin, Scott Clifton, Marie Daniels, Fred Ryan, and EMMETT.
Mary was a member of the River Oaks Country Club, The Bayou Club of Houston, The Garden Club of Houston, Grandfather Golf and Country Club and Linville Golf Club, both in Linville, North Carolina, Diamond Creek Golf Club in Banner Elk, North Carolina, Mountain Lake Country Club in Lake Wales, Florida, and The Lotos Club in New York.
A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at a private family gathering at her grave site.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions in her name be directed to: Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation, for the Benefit of the Dr. Charles Baker Lecture Series - Rural Family Medicine Residency Program, P.O. Box 2600, Boone, North Carolina 28607; or The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001, Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77005.