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Hopson, Mary Helen

Female 1944 - 2012  (67 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Hopson, Mary Helen  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Born 14 Aug 1944  Beaumont, Jefferson, Texas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 4, 6, 7
    Gender Female 
    Died 16 Jan 2012  Houston, Harris, Texas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 8
    Buried Houston, Harris, Texas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 9
    Person ID I14761  Our Family
    Last Modified 16 Jan 2024 

    Family Bermann, Mark William 
    Children 
    +1. Bermann, Danielle Lee
     2. Bermann, Camille Ann
    Last Modified 16 Jan 2024 
    Family ID F5939  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • MARY HELEN HOPSON BERMANN, left this earth on January 16, 2012 after a two and a half year battle with liver cancer. Mary Helen was a fighter, with a gleam in her eye and a fire in her heart. She was born on August 15th, 1944 in Beaumont, Texas, the youngest daughter of the Hopson's. Growing up in Beaumont she knew that her calling would eventually be to move to the metropolitan city of Houston. Although she had a humble upbringing in a close family atmosphere, she had an ambition to see the world and 90 miles to the southeast was a good start. Beaumont is not a large city, but the families there are extremely close. If a loved one was very sick or in the hospital, they would spend the night with that person, because something deep inside told them to. Family values and respect were the foundation around what her life was structured. As a beautiful, athletic, blue-eyed blond, she had no trouble impressing young men through high school. She was fortunate to have an endearing mother, Josephine, who wasn't much of a talker, but managed to get her point across when Mary Helen needed direction. Mary Helen also had a special relationship with her older sister, Laverne, who she loved dearly. Because of the ten year difference in age, Laverne was able to guide Mary Helen over the rough adolescent years and keep her from making the mistakes she might have made. There was an extra special bond between Mary Helen and her only sister, a relationship that lasted through out their lives. Mary Helen moved to Houston after High School. She lived and worked there for several years before meeting her husband, Mark, at a party. He was so taken with her beauty and natural charm that he went over to her apartment the next day, because he wanted to talk with her and know her better. It wasn't long after that they started dating and became engaged. During this period, Mary Helen had been working as the executive secretary of Phillip Lucas, and independent oilmen with roots back to the Lucas Gusher in Beaumont. She managed his office and made sure that things were in order, just like she would do later in life on a much grandeur scale in taking care of the Bermann family. Mark was just starting his wholesale wine distributorship and things were difficult, but Mary Helen supported him and allowed him to move in, actually living off her. She even lent him her own car so that one of his young salesmen had transportation since he had wrecked his own vehicle. Wouldn't you know, the salesman wound up also totaling her car, one that she had worked and saved so hard to buy! Mary Helen always showed this generosity and gave what ever was necessary to make things work. Mark and Mary Helen were married on December 29th, 1974 in a Jewish ceremony. Mary Helen had converted to Judaism in a demanding course given by Rabbi Roy Walters. She wanted to make sure their children were fully recognized as being Jewish. She found comfort in the religion and wanted to insure that there would be no split in the religious upbringing of the kids. After a few months of marriage, Mary Helen felt brave enough to invite Mark's parents over for a dinner prepared by her in their new house. It was with great trepidation that the invitation was made to Camille and Lisl Bermann. Since Mark's father Camille Bermann was the famous restaurateur/proprietor of the iconic Houston restaurant, Maxims, this was going to be no easy feat. The meal came off beautifully and timely. No chances were going to be taken on these celebrity guests. Mary Helen soon developed her own fondness for cooking, by reading cook books voraciously, attending cooking seminars, and trying out recipes. The family always looked forward to dining in each other's company and on many of those nights Mary Helen would teach daughters Camille and Danielle her own famous recipes and cooking secrets. Mary Helen's enjoyment of cooking and dining led her to become more involved in dining societies. She joined the Houston Chapter of the international gastronomical society known as the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. The Houston Bailliage was one of the largest in the United States and she rose to become President of the local organization in 2002, serving three fabulous years as its Bailli and planning some glorious dinners and events. Over the years, Mary Helen was an adoring, caring, self less, mother who taught her two daughters the respect, dedication, and love she had grown up around in her Beaumont family. As a wife, she was the pillar of strength to her husband, who always sought her advice, consul, and affection. Her family and friends will always remember her as a wonderful lady that loved to laugh, live life, and love others. Mary Helen is survived by her husband of 37 years, Mark Bermann, daughters Camille Ann and Danielle Lee Oviatt and her husband Chip Oviatt; her mother in law Lisl Bermann, brother in law Ronnie Bermann and his son Ron; from the Beaumont side of the family, by her three nephews, David Ainsworth, Bubba Ainsworth and his daughter Missy Prince, her husband Tommy Prince and their two daughters, Brailey and Brisais; and by Brian Ainsworth and his three sons, Dylan, Bryce and Wyatt.

  • Sources 
    1. [S52] Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2002, Ancestry.com, (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data - Dodd, Jordan R, et. al. Early American Marriages: Texas to 1850. Bountiful, UT: Precision Indexing Publishers, 19xx.Hunting For Bears, comp. Texas marriage information ;).
      Birth date: abt 1944 Birth place: Marriage date: 29 Dec 1974 Marriage place: Harris, Texas

    2. [S115] Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc;).
      Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997
      Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997


    3. [S485] Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Ancestry.com, (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005;).
      last name

    4. [S20] U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.;).

    5. [S239] Original Import into Legacy.

    6. [S1657] Original Source File.
      Date of Import: Jul 5, 1999

    7. [S485] Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997, Ancestry.com, (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005;).

    8. [S15] Obituary, for Jane.

    9. [S23] FindAGrave.com.