Although she didn't graduate from graded Mary Lou McLain was class of 1978.

In memory of
Mary Lou McLain
1960-2005

Our dear friend Lou passed away Friday, April 22, 2005. This is a terrible loss to all of those who knew her.

She was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 21, 1960. She spent a few years at Graded sharing her friendship with us. Lou and I were great “partners in crime” during her Graded years.
After leaving Brazil and spending the rest of her high school days in the United States, she graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Latin American Studies. She eventually decided to devote her career to nursing, and earned a graduate degree in Nursing Science from Texas Women’s University in 1991. She worked for many years, selflessly, as a nurse at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas. She was later given oversight of quality improvement initiatives in the Emergency Department.
Mary Lou was a passionate health care advocate, serving as a member of the Travis County Hospital Steering Committee, and as a board member of Family Eldercare, a group dedicated to helping the elderly and disabled. She was President of the board at the time of her death.
Lou was active in political groups and generously contributed to social and health causes.
She was a smart and loyal friend. She always had a quick joke or a smart comeback. She had a great sense of humor and loved to travel and play poker with her pals. Each year she and her husband would hold a big May Day party and at her last party she had a Brazilian theme with great feijoada and caipirinhas!
I’d like to add that while working in the trauma center at Brackenridge, Lou said the following
“Our motto these days is "You watch it, we live it"- however, it really isn't the same as the show. At our ER the nurses are smarter, the doctors aren't as good-looking, the residents are not that compassionate about their patients, there is no sex going on in the broom closets and we are about a thousand times busier.”
She was faithful, compassionate, and one of the finest human beings I have known. She loved her community and loved her husband and family.
“We are all diminished as her beautiful spirit has left us. The world has become a bit less hopeful as the strong voice of this people's advocate is quiet now.”
I will miss our monthly lunches,
Tami Harris Darden ‘78