Esther Mary James was born on August 20, 1940, in Buena Vista, Georgia, to the late Robert B. Wilkerson (d. 1988) and Katherine T. Houston (d. 1996). The first of six children, Esther moved with her family to Miami, Florida in 1946.

After moving to Miami, Esther settled and resided with her grandmother. She received her education at Bethune Cookman Elementary and Dorsey, eventually graduating class of 1958 from Miami Northwestern Senior High school. Esther was a talented young lady, and she had a love for all things beauty and fashion. She studied cosmetology in high school, and became a beautician after graduation… working for several beauty parlors in Miami Beach before striking out on her own. Eventually, Esther transitioned into modeling, mostly doing print ads. Her love for beauty and fashion is what persuaded her to travel to California in her early twenties to pursue a career in the beauty and fashion industry. 

With time comes change and changes in Esther’s personal life called her back home to Florida. On May 18, 1962, Esther gave birth to Roderick, her only child, in Jacksonville, Florida. 

On February 25, 1982, Esther became Mary Esther James when she married Curtis James; the marriage later ended on July 08, 1994. Mary worked for over 30 years in the beauty industry and educational system. In the early 1980s, Mary joined the cosmetics department as a Beauty Specialist for Burdines Co., in North Miami Beach, Florida. After leaving Burdines, Mary switch gears to early childhood education. She joined the Miami Dade County Public School system around 1993, where she worked as a paraprofessional and after school care instructor for several elementary schools until retiring in June 2010. 

On February 4, 2025, Mary transitioned from this earth to her final resting place. She leaves to mourn one child: Roderick Harris (Patricia) of Miami, Florida; two sisters: Wyrlene Williams and Gloria Walkes (d. 11/2014) both of Miami, Florida; three brothers: Sylvester Wilkerson (d. 06/2020), Vernon Wilkerson (d. 03/1986) both of Miami, Florida, and Tony Holmes of Atlanta, Georgia; 3 bonus grandkids, 8 bonus great-grandkids, a close neighbor, Joseph Sampson, a close cousin, Hattie Thorpe, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other sorrowing relatives and friends.  A special thank you to home health aides, Michelle Williams and Deidre Rolle of Miami, Florida.