McMurry University is deeply saddened by the passing of alumna, longtime donor, and friend Mary Esther Bynum ’52. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education from McMurry and later her Master of Education from North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas). She was a skilled educator who helped pioneer distance learning by teaching Spanish on television in the early 1960’s.
Mary Esther met her husband Raymon at McMurry while he was on the football team and were college sweethearts. They were married for 59 years before his death in 2009.
Mary Esther was named a Distinguished Alumni in 2003. She received the Bob & Clara Brown Award and was inducted to the McMurry Athletics Hall of Honor in 2015. She also was awarded her maroon Trailblazer jacket in 2018. Along with giving to the university financially, she was generous with her time and frequently attended university events and football games.
Four scholarships have been established by Mary Esther, including the Raymon L. Bynum Sr. Endowed Scholarship, Mary Esther Bynum Endowed Scholarship, Jack and Bettie Holden Endowed Scholarship, and Hershel and Georgia Kimbrell Endowed Scholarship.
Mary Esther and her husband were named as part of the McMurry100, a group of individuals who made a significant impact on McMurry during its first 100 years, during the university’s centennial celebration. She is survived by her three children and grandchildren. McMurry has raised its flags at half-staff in her honor.