Obituary for Mary R. Behrens (Busick)
Mary Roselyn Busick Behrens
Our mother has passed on to join our father after a long life full of love, wonderful experiences and sage advice. She passed in Communion with the Lord and at peace with her life. Years of lung issues compounded with pneumonia led to her demise. She passed at her daughter’s home in Azle Texas, surrounded by her family – some in person and the remainder throughout the world. In her final hours her children, grandchildren, and many great grandchildren got to say goodbye.
Mary was born on September 4, 1931, the second child of Jack (Jacob) Busick and Martha Kapalski Busick in Houston Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years Robert Martin Behrens, her brother Lawrence and her parents. Mom attended All Saints elementary school in the Heights area and then St. Agnes before graduating from Reagan high school. Through CYO events she met her future husband. They married on May 16, 1953 upon his return from the Korean war.
Mom started working, during high school with the Federal Reserve Bank and then to the Gulf Oil Corp while dad was in Korea. She raised four children and then began her college career while we were young, sometimes leaving us at the student center while she attended classes at the University of Houston. She obtained a bachelor and master’s degree in education. She taught for many years at several districts in the Houston area. After retiring from teaching both she and dad became real estate agents. She picked her sales name as “Marbo”, which was very distinctive and easy for clients to remember.
Through the years mom and dad lived in several locations in the Houston area (Heights, Spring Branch, Memorial) until all their children had left town. They then moved to Lago Vista for their golden years, enjoying life on the lake with church and square-dancing friends. They spent their platinum years in Waco, near their youngest daughter Melinda and her growing family. For a short while they were at St. Catherine’s Independent Living but with the outbreak of Covid moved to daughter Becky’s house in Azle.
Mom was a proud Catholic. She was a Eucharistic Minister and enjoyed singing in the choir. She attended mass regularly at the following parishes through her life –All Saints, St. Jerome, and St Cecilia in Houston, St. Mary Our Lady in Lago Vista, St. Jerome in Waco and Holy Trinity in Azle. In her platinum years she was a volunteer at Providence hospital in Waco, offering a smile to countless others in need. Mom painted as a hobby for many years and often had a garden. Mom and dad enjoyed traveling and made many memories in the US and abroad. One of her favorite trips was to Croatia where she met countless new relatives in her father’s birthplace for the first time.
Mary joins her loving husband Bob of 67 years in heaven. Her children - son Greg Behrens and wife Lori of Jonestown, daughters Becky Wilkes and husband Jim of Azle, Kathy Behrens and husband Roger Hardy of Redlands, CA, and Melinda Douglas and husband Colin of Woodway will miss her dearly.
Grandchildren are: Robert Behrens and wife Delfina Testa; Janet McCoy and husband Keith; Nathan Wilkes and wife Caitlin Macklin; Jason Wilkes and wife Monica; Rachel Marek and husband Jeff; Byron Wilkes and wife Paula; Aleck Retzolk and husband Justin; Casey Douglas; and Tyler Douglas and wife Meredith.
Great grandchildren are: Stuart, Levi, and Jakob Macklin; Blythe; Jericho, Amelie, Zeke, Katja, and Titus Wilkes; Aleska, Emmeline, and Lorelei Marek; Wilhemina Wilkes; Addison Douglas; Phebee and Violette Ash, and one as yet unnamed imminent arrival.
The family offers our grateful thanks to the staff at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Azle and Tiffany of Solaris Hospice for their gentle and loving care of Mom in her last days. A memorial mass and inurnment will be held at St. Jerome’s in Waco. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made to St Jerome’s in her honor or the charity of your choice.
Our mother has passed on to join our father after a long life full of love, wonderful experiences and sage advice. She passed in Communion with the Lord and at peace with her life. Years of lung issues compounded with pneumonia led to her demise. She passed at her daughter’s home in Azle Texas, surrounded by her family – some in person and the remainder throughout the world. In her final hours her children, grandchildren, and many great grandchildren got to say goodbye.
Mary was born on September 4, 1931, the second child of Jack (Jacob) Busick and Martha Kapalski Busick in Houston Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years Robert Martin Behrens, her brother Lawrence and her parents. Mom attended All Saints elementary school in the Heights area and then St. Agnes before graduating from Reagan high school. Through CYO events she met her future husband. They married on May 16, 1953 upon his return from the Korean war.
Mom started working, during high school with the Federal Reserve Bank and then to the Gulf Oil Corp while dad was in Korea. She raised four children and then began her college career while we were young, sometimes leaving us at the student center while she attended classes at the University of Houston. She obtained a bachelor and master’s degree in education. She taught for many years at several districts in the Houston area. After retiring from teaching both she and dad became real estate agents. She picked her sales name as “Marbo”, which was very distinctive and easy for clients to remember.
Through the years mom and dad lived in several locations in the Houston area (Heights, Spring Branch, Memorial) until all their children had left town. They then moved to Lago Vista for their golden years, enjoying life on the lake with church and square-dancing friends. They spent their platinum years in Waco, near their youngest daughter Melinda and her growing family. For a short while they were at St. Catherine’s Independent Living but with the outbreak of Covid moved to daughter Becky’s house in Azle.
Mom was a proud Catholic. She was a Eucharistic Minister and enjoyed singing in the choir. She attended mass regularly at the following parishes through her life –All Saints, St. Jerome, and St Cecilia in Houston, St. Mary Our Lady in Lago Vista, St. Jerome in Waco and Holy Trinity in Azle. In her platinum years she was a volunteer at Providence hospital in Waco, offering a smile to countless others in need. Mom painted as a hobby for many years and often had a garden. Mom and dad enjoyed traveling and made many memories in the US and abroad. One of her favorite trips was to Croatia where she met countless new relatives in her father’s birthplace for the first time.
Mary joins her loving husband Bob of 67 years in heaven. Her children - son Greg Behrens and wife Lori of Jonestown, daughters Becky Wilkes and husband Jim of Azle, Kathy Behrens and husband Roger Hardy of Redlands, CA, and Melinda Douglas and husband Colin of Woodway will miss her dearly.
Grandchildren are: Robert Behrens and wife Delfina Testa; Janet McCoy and husband Keith; Nathan Wilkes and wife Caitlin Macklin; Jason Wilkes and wife Monica; Rachel Marek and husband Jeff; Byron Wilkes and wife Paula; Aleck Retzolk and husband Justin; Casey Douglas; and Tyler Douglas and wife Meredith.
Great grandchildren are: Stuart, Levi, and Jakob Macklin; Blythe; Jericho, Amelie, Zeke, Katja, and Titus Wilkes; Aleska, Emmeline, and Lorelei Marek; Wilhemina Wilkes; Addison Douglas; Phebee and Violette Ash, and one as yet unnamed imminent arrival.
The family offers our grateful thanks to the staff at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Azle and Tiffany of Solaris Hospice for their gentle and loving care of Mom in her last days. A memorial mass and inurnment will be held at St. Jerome’s in Waco. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made to St Jerome’s in her honor or the charity of your choice.