
Mary Esther Couch, 82, of Charlottesville, Va., passed away on July 4, 2008.
Born on February 16, 1926, in Charleston, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late William Lester and Catherine Byus McBride. She was also preceded in death by a brother, William Cullen McBride; two sisters, Elizabeth McBride Cook and Doris McBride Dressler; and a grandson, James G. Couch III.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years, James Grant Couch of Charlottesville; two sons, William Cullen Couch and his wife, Susan, of Wolftown, Va., and James Grant Couch Jr. and his wife, Louise, of Boulder, Colo.; her sister, Margaret Lynn Eversole of Charleston, W.Va.; her brother, John Andrew McBride of Cocoa, Fla.; and by three grandchildren, Hilary Couch Scardino of Santa Cruz, Calif., Corey Couch Sethi of Fairfax, Va., and Rachel Catherine Couch of Wolftown, Va.
A member of the Junior League in Larchmont, N.Y., she assisted with various assignments working with disadvantaged youths and halfway houses. While living in Pasadena, Calif., she was a docent at the Huntington Museum and Library during which she participated in conservation efforts after a major fire and had the opportunity to work with the conservation team from the Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum.
Later, she enjoyed creating her own works of art and was an avid painter in oils, contributing numerous portraits and still-life to friends while living in Charlottesville. Years ago she was also an accomplished classical guitarist who loved to “play and sing.”
Another one of her great loves was travel, which she did often with her husband Jim on trips around the world.
A memorial funeral service to celebrate Esther's life will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Ivy, Va., with the Rev. Miller Hunter officiating.
The family will receive friends at the church following the service.
In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial gift in memory of Esther to the Hospice of the Piedmont, 2200 Old Ivy Road, Suite 2, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
The family expresses their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Gordon Morris and his staff and to the staff of Hospice of the Piedmont for their loving care.
Friends may send condolences to the family at www.hillandwood.com.