Mrs. Campos has included a gift to Texas Children’s in her will in gratitude for the care that her daughter and other family members have received.
A lifelong Houstonian and trailblazer in the field of public education, Maria Esther Estrada Campos has always demonstrated a tireless devotion to her family and community.
Eleven years after graduating from Houston’s Jeff Davis High School, Mrs. Campos enrolled in the University of Houston College of Education in 1959. While also juggling the demands of work, marriage and four children, she earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. In the early 1960s, she became one of the first bilingual instructors hired by the Houston Independent School District and continued climbing HISD’s professional ladder, serving as a counselor and an assistant principal.
Mrs. Campos’ connection to Texas Children's Hospital began around this time. Her 3-month-old daughter, Leah, was admitted with viral encephalitis and spent several weeks at Texas Children’s. Mrs. Campos recalls that she was released just in time for Christmas.
In gratitude for the care that her daughter and, more recently, her granddaughter and several great-grandchildren have received, Mrs. Campos has included a bequest for Texas Children’s in her will. In addition, she has directed that the more than 150 quilts she handstitched over her lifetime be sold at auction with the proceeds benefiting Texas Children’s.
In May, the University of Houston College of Education awarded an honorary doctorate degree to Mrs. Campos at age 90 in recognition of her lifetime of service as an educator and community activist. Despite already completing much of the required coursework and submitting her dissertation proposal, Mrs. Campos had to put aside her pursuit of a doctoral degree in the late 1970s to focus on family matters that had arisen.
Mrs. Campos with her daughter, Olga Campos Benz.
Even though she did not complete her Ph.D., she continued to dedicate her life to improving educational opportunities for all students. In 1993 she retired early to serve as HISD Board of Education trustee for District VIII. Mrs. Campos proudly served in this capacity for a decade and is recognized for bringing about positive change to the largest school district in the state and seventh largest in the nation.
Texas Children’s is grateful to count Mrs. Campos as a member of our Abercrombie Society, which honors those who have remembered Texas Children’s in their estate and other long-term plans.
"Since my daughter, Leah, was a patient at Texas Children's Hospital so many years ago, her daughter — and two of her granddaughters as well as another great-grandchild of mine — have also received excellent care from the hospital staff. Becoming a member of the Abercrombie Society provides an opportunity for me to show my appreciation for the medical treatment my loved ones received."
—Maria Esther Estrada Campos
Simple Steps to Help
You can make a big difference with just a little effort by including a gift to benefit Texas Children’s Hospital in your will or living trust. Learn more by contacting Rachel S. Kronenberger at 832-824-6907 or rskronen@texaschildrens.org.
