Mary Jane Bowman Ranzau, born in Boerne, Texas on October 31, 1930 passed into her Lord’s loving hands on July 24, 2009 in Boerne, Texas. Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Julius (JP) and Hilda Bowman, her brother, Julian Bowman, and her two sisters, Doris Koenig, and Evelyn Talley. Mary is survived by her husband of 59 years, Jerome Max Ranzau, three daughters, Janice Kerr of Houston, Sandra Taber of Houston, and Tarrell Moultak of Grand Isle, Vermont, six grandchildren, Cody Kerr and Kinsley Kerr of Houston, Sean Taber of Boston, Mass. Jennifer Taber of Houston, John and Christina Moultak of Grand Isle, one great-grandchild, Charlise Jones of Houston, brother-in-law Bill Talley of Boerne, and one sister-in-law Betty Bowman of Boerne. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Mary worked at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio and at the main post office in downtown Houston. In Houston, she loved to attend all her grandchildren’s school and special activities, but in 1992, she retired and returned to her birthplace, Boerne, Texas and resided in her family home until her death. Mary Jane was active in her church, Messiah Lutheran, attending ladies Bible study classes, working with the Messiah Sowers helping to make quilts, and going to San Antonio with the church ladies to assist in making Braille Bibles for the Blind.
Mary was a loving caring person always wanting to give to others. As she traveled throughout the United States, she was always anxious to stop in each town to visit family and friends that she had made lasting friendships with. She was a committed person and went to the Care Choice Nursing Home to play Chicken Foot Dominoes with the residents each and every Thursday afternoon and many times was seen painting their fingernails. She also loved to listen to the Boerne Village Band and attended each of their functions, and even followed the band when they performed in Germany and in Mexico. She was seen on the Boerne Square in her chicken hat while listening and dancing to the Band’s music. She also loved to play Bunco with her friends. But, Mary Jane’s favorite past time was going down to the swimming hole on the Balcones Creek on the back of the Bowman property relaxing with family and friends.
In leiu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Family Life Center fund benefiting the Messiah Lutheran Church in Boerne, TX.
A visitation welcoming family and friends will be held Tuesday July 28, 2009 from 5-7pm at Ebensberger-Fisher Funeral Home. Funeral services are to be held on Wednesday July 29, 2009 at 10:00 am at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Boerne with burial to follow in the Boerne Cemetery.
To leave the family a message or tribute, go to www.ebensberger-fisher.com and select the Mary Jane Ranzau obituary.
Arrangements by Ebensberger-Fisher Funeral Home, Boerne,TX.