Mary Elizabeth Gilbert was born on February 12, 1861 in old Lebanon, Collin County, Texas. She was educated at Mary Nash College in Sherman, Texas and later married her childhood sweetheart, Lee Bivins, on August 18, 1882. Lee and Mary had four children, two boys and two girls.
Lee and Mary moved their family to the Texas Panhandle in 1890. With an interest in cattle-raising since he was a boy, Lee acquired his first Panhandle ranch a few years before the family moved, calling it the Mulberry Pasture of South Claude. It was there that the Bivins made their home.
By the time the family left Claude and settled in Amarillo - close to the turn of the century - Lee Bivins was one of the largest cattle operators in the world, owning over 1,000,000 acres of land and often running over 60,000 head of cattle at a time.
Lee and Mary became involved in a wide range of civic and philanthropic activities in Amarillo. Lee Bivins served as a city commissioner for eight years, and was elected mayor in 1925. He held that office until his death on January 17, 1929. Mary Bivins was a dedicated philanthropist, giving to a wide range of public charities and providing numerous private gifts to needy individuals.
In 1949, with the determination of leaving the world a better place than she found it, Mrs. Bivins established the Mary E. Bivins Foundation. The mission of the Mary E. Bivins Foundation at that time was to build and maintain a home for worthy, aged and needy persons. The Foundation's mission also included aiding and assisting worthy religious undertakings, and worthy charitable organizations that served the elderly.
Before she died in 1951, Mary E. Bivins began a legacy of giving that was passed down in the form of a letter to her grandchildren.
Before her death in 1951, Mary E. Bivins was able to see the first fruits of her Foundation through the construction of the Elizabeth Jane Bivins Home for the Aged. The home was built and dedicated to fulfill Mrs. Bivins heartfelt desire to care for her aging friends and other elderly citizens in her community. Located on T-Anchor Boulevard, over 20,000 people attended the dedication ceremony. It was the only facility of its kind in the state of Texas and became the industry standard for quality.
For over 55 years, the Mary E. Bivins Foundation has continued the vision and legacy of this special woman, striving to improve and enrich the quality of life of individuals living in the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle by meeting their physical, mental, social and spiritual needs. Since 1957, the Mary E. Bivins Foundation has awarded grants and scholarships that total over $86 million.
What began as a family with a pioneering spirit and a desire to help others, grew to become an organization that is dedicated to making life better for all, and is now a legacy of giving that will reach into future generations.