Feb 09, 2016
Mary Wade
Like Father, Like Son?
Mary Dodson Wade grew up in South Arkansas, later graduating from Baylor and
teaching a couple of years before marriage to Harold Wade. While their two children
were small, she completed her Masters Degree in Library Science from Texas Woman’s
University and began a 25-year career as an elementary librarian, first in Ohio while her
husband completed his doctorate, then in Massachusetts, before they returned to Texas.
Her last 10 years were with the Fort Bend School system.
Mary used the opportunity of traveling with her husband as he taught process control
short courses abroad to speak to international schools in various places. During a visit to
Taipei she found a folktale that resulted in a book explaining why there is no cat in the
Chinese zodiac. Always particularly interested in history, she began to write and has
published more than 50 children’s books, many of them dealing with Texas. Mary has
written books on Sam Houston, Jane Long, Stephen F. Austin, Davy Crockett, George W.
Bush, Theodore Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Wilma Rudolf, Condolezza Rice and many
others.
Mary is a member of several writers’ groups, including the Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators, serving as head of the Houston chapter for 10 years. She
maintains membership in both her local Cypress, Texas, historical society as well as the
Fort Bend County Museum.
Mary’s research into the background of Theodore Roosevelt’s father has expanded into
“Like Father, Like Son?” as a topic for our President’s Day program in which she will
discuss the Roosevelts, the Adams and the Bush father-son connections.
Please join Rotary Richmond, on Tuesday, February 9th
at 12 noon at the Swinging Door – Fort Bend Country Club, 2627 FM 762, Richmond, TX 77469,
to hear Mary Dodson Wade’s unique presentation.