Born in 1941, Marie Fay Evnochides is a second generation Houstonian and trailblazing educator. She attended St. John’s School through Sixth Grade, and then enrolled in The Kinkaid School, where she graduated in 1959 under Headmaster John Cooper. As a student, Marie served as a member of the Student Council, President of the Key Club, and a member of the Poise, Drama and Red Cross Clubs, and she ran as a candidate for class president. She then earned her B. A. in English in 1965 from the University of Houston.

After teaching at the Oaks School, Marie was hired by John Cooper, her advisor, friend and mentor, to establish and teach a program for 3-year-old children at The Kinkaid School. The initiative resulted in her appointment as Director of the Pre-School and began her 25 year faculty tenure at The Kinkaid School. With a burgeoning need in the city for pre-school education, Marie founded a new school on the grounds of her family home, The Fay School. With a goal of educating children ages three-years-old to Fifth Grade in an academically challenging, yet nurturing environment, the Fay School now has served as an outstanding co-educational, not-for-profit, non-sectarian school for 30 years. Marie Fay Evnochides served as Founding Head of The Fay School, taught classes from 1990 to 2000, and remains a member of the Board. Marie Evnochides retired from her day-to-day involvement in July 2008, ending her rich and fulfilling 45 year career in independent school education.

On Friday, May 16th, 2025, Marie Bel Fay Evnochides, the founder of the Marie Bel Fay Fund and The Fay School, passed away after a long illness. Known for her vibrant personality and devotion to children, she was an extraordinary educator, philanthropist, sailor, photographer and gardener. She possessed not only clear visions of the possible, but also the energy and perseverance to accomplish those visions.

Born to parents Carolyn Grant Fay and Ernest “Ernie” Bel Fay, Marie attended Sarah Lawrence College and earned her degree in education from the University of Houston. Marie learned early in her life that her calling was to teach young children. She taught at the elementary school level at the Kinkaid School, until founding The Fay School on the grounds of her childhood home. In recognizing the importance of early childhood education, Marie understood the most critical element in a child’s success is the child’s teacher and the teacher’s ability to spark the natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge in the child.

To celebrate and encourage outstanding teachers in this regard, she established the Marie Fay Evnochides Fund. Each year the Fund recognizes a deserving private school leader with the Marie Fay Evnochides prize and a cash award. Teachers have been selected from The Parish School, Yellowstone Academy, the Briarwood School, St. Francis Episcopal School, the Shlenker School, and, most recently Annunciation Orthodox School.

Our founder and leader will leave a profound legacy on innumerable lives and will be deeply missed.