Mary Burris: Making a Difference One Book at a Time

Lower School librarian Catherine Word celebrated volunteer Mary Burris at a special Lower School Morning Meeting.

Every sunrise is an invitation for us to arise and brighten someone's day. Richelle E. Goodrich, Author, Novelist & Poet

Longtime Episcopal volunteer Mary Burris has dedicated thousands of hours to the school’s students and staff. Since 1998, she has served in roles including room mom, cafeteria server and library assistant. In the library, she shelves 800 Lower School books a week and has placed 100,000 stickers on Lower School reading materials. On any given day in the Upper School library, Mary can be found covering books before they enter circulation. As a former cafeteria volunteer, she could be counted on to serve student meals with a bright smile and a friendly greeting. She has done this faithfully for more than 20 years, and in doing so, she has left her mark on the community she loves.

Mary’s time as an Episcopal volunteer began when she and her family moved to Baton Rouge from New Orleans. “I just love this school,” she says. She points to the curriculum and the access to sports as just two examples of everything Episcopal offers. “If I had gone to a school like this,” Mary ponders. As a young woman, Mary earned a degree in political science from UNO. As a mother, she dedicated herself to her children. Volunteering at Episcopal provided Mary the perfect opportunity to be involved with her children’s education and to be an active participant in their lives. She was that proud mom in the school cafeteria line. As her children passed through, Mary would loudly proclaim to everyone in earshot, “Look at my daughter. Look how pretty she is.” While such proclamations may have embarrassed the children then, Mary says they appreciate her now.

Volunteer Mary Burris celebrates with family and friends during a Lower School Morning Meeting held in her honor.

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Although her children are now adults, Mary remains a library volunteer. “I love books,” says Mary, who doesn’t read fiction and enjoys a good true crime story or a popular biography. Mary’s natural talents have made her an ideal volunteer library assistant. “I have a keen eye for numbers,” she says. Such a skill proves beneficial when shelving hundreds of books according to a Dewey decimal number.

Mary is a dynamic, larger-than-life storyteller. As she tells of her adventures, the listener cannot help but be drawn into the stories of her passion for tennis and particularly Roger Federer. There is even the story of the time that she was actually the answer to a trivia question on the radio program “Walton and Johnson.” Mary is also an animal lover and enjoys sharing tales of her furry friends. At one point in her life her family included turtles, horses, sheep, ducks, goats, cats and dogs – all within the Baton Rouge city limits. No matter the day or the time, it seems Mary always has a story to share and those who know her are eager to listen.

Mary approaches volunteering with the same enthusiasm with which she approaches storytelling. Librarian Catherine Word says Mary knows exactly what needs to be done each day and she never complains. That initiative and drive make Mary an invaluable member of the library team. “If I didn’t have Mary I would spend all of my planning time shelving books,“ says Catherine. Because of Mary’s contributions, Catherine is able to spend one-on-one time with young readers as they make book selections and consider what titles to choose. Mary’s contributions make the Lower School library a more meaningful place for everyone.

As far as Mary is concerned the reason for volunteering is clear. “I just love the interaction with the kids,” she says. Mary’s love for students is obvious in her conversations with them. Catherine says as Mary checks out books for little Knights, she makes the occasion special. “As Mary scans each book, she reads the title,” says Catherine. “She engages so much with them.” Mary asks students questions about their book choices and the characters inside. She takes the time to give each student personal attention and the students love her for it.
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Earlier this year, Catherine found a way to celebrate Mary’s contributions to the Lower School community. A special morning meeting was held in Mary’s honor. The theme that day was generosity and Catherine had a special message to share. “I want people to know what a gift it has been to be with Mary,” she says. “She has helped me and helped Episcopal so much. She is a delightful person to be with. She thoroughly loves being with the kids. She just gives and gives.”
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Mary’s generosity to Episcopal students and staff is remarkable. We are extremely grateful that she shares her time and love for children with us.

Thank you, Mary!

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​​​The Episcopal 2020-2021 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the school, contact us at enrollment@ehsbr.org or 755-2684.

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