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Retired Faculty – Where Aare They Now?
Mary Kay Varley: LS Grades 3 and 4, 1994-2018
Mary Kay describes her life since retirement as “simple and a bit boring,” but she enjoys the ability to plan her days with no scheduling demands so she can lunch with friends or take in evening cultural activities without worrying about getting to school early the next day. “It’s like being on spring break all the time,” she said.
Well-known for her interest in children’s books and authors, Mary Kay has an extensive autographed book collection. Before retiring from FWCD, she began donating her books to the TCU Special Collections Department, which now has more than 3,500 editions, most signed by the author. As a result of her donation, Mary Kay now serves as a TCU Friends of the Library Board Member, taking advantage of lectures and meeting visitors who offer interesting experiences and continued learning. “It is an honor to be connected to the beautiful TCU Library that also serves as an art museum for the campus,” she said. Mary Kay now enjoys reading adult authors and learning about new ones at the Dallas Museum of Art Arts and Letters Live program.
With a grand-niece and nephew in the Chicago area, Mary Kay visits them and her three brothers more frequently than when she worked full time. In her hometown of Arlington, she volunteers on her townhouse community HOA Board and enjoys planning upgrades to her own townhouse.
When asked what she remembers most about her FWCD years, Mary Kay said: “The warmth of friendship and continued learning. The trust the parents and students placed in me was something that I marveled at during my years at FWCD.” Mary Kay advises her former students to “discover what you are good at and become even better.”
