Mary Alice Koenig

She was the eldest daughter born to Eugene Emery Burrell and Irene Janet Parre on September 8, 1942, in Wayne, Michigan. Her early years were filled with family, reading, music, swimming, friendship, and the joy of being the older sister to Martha and Margie: the three together were always known as the Burrell Girls.

Mary was active in the Methodist church from an early age and held her firm Christian beliefs privately. Her faith was the foundation for her extending kindness and friendship to all, easily and without reservation.

Her own faith helped recognize the same strength in others, even with different beliefs. She truly believed that there were many paths to the top of the mountain. She was always grateful to be included in any cultural celebration and prepared in advance to be a considerate guest.

In 1959, a teenage Mary was selected to study for several weeks in Berlin as part of the Youth for Understanding, Teenage Exchange Program from the Michigan Council of Churches. This began a love for travel that she maintained her entire life.

Mary attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she met her husband of 59 years at a TGIF party between his fraternity and her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega. For the decades that followed, they enjoyed many parties and outings because of the friendships they made in college. A number of couples continued to make the reunions as they, like Herb and Mary, were married to their college sweethearts.

Mary graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English and Library Science. A month later on June 13, 1964 she married the love of her life, Herbert Emil Koenig, Jr. at the Dundee Methodist Church in Michigan surrounded by family and friends.

In 1966, Herb and Mary moved back to Herb’s hometown of Houston, Texas to work for the family business. Mary was employed as a Librarian at Spring Branch Junior High. After the arrival of her first child, Mary stopped working to become a full-time housewife and focus on raising her three sons, Michael, Neil, and Erik. Mary ensured that she maintained ties with her family back in Michigan by regular family vacations to Dundee and Bellaire and fun-filled reunions over many years.

After her sons were grown, she returned to teaching computer science classes at Mayde Creek Junior High, a move which required her to first learn about computers herself! She later used her new-found skills to develop the first website for the family business, Liftmoore.

To many, her actions appeared effortless and the results serendipitous, but those close to her knew she had a quiet, strong will yielding purposeful results. This purpose was shown through her involvement in the community with the school district PTA, cub scouts and boy scouts, supporting all the sports booster clubs of her sons, local chapter of AXO, Neighborhood Watch, AXO Investment Club, and Auf Deutsch Bitte.

Mary spent her time and energy aligned with her beliefs, in service to others as a librarian and teacher and reinforcing the bonds of family and friendship.

Her large, close family prepared her for making friends in many organizations and associations including business relationships. Participating when needed in businesses Herb owned, she lent her knowledge and skills to assist with anything the small business needed including, bookkeeping, correspondence, and all that attending trade shows required, including driving and cleaning company trucks, trailers, and equipment. Bringing a personal side to the business, she and Herb forged lifelong friendships that grew in large part to her interest in others’ families, remembering and sharing joy in the life events of others.

After the fall of the Berlin wall, whose construction shortly after her summer in Berlin impacted her deeply, it became possible to reconnect to Herb’s relatives in Eastern Germany. Mary then focused intently on improving her German again to enable her to communicate with extended family who she did not yet know. That soon changed and, in large part due to her efforts, she and Herb made close connections, traveled several times back to Germany and hosted relatives from Germany at their home in Houston.

She and Herb enjoyed a life of family, travel, dancing, friends, and love for 59 years.

She passed peacefully on May 7, 2024 in the comfort of her home holding the hand of her husband in a room filled with music and love.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Herbert E. Koenig, Jr., her sons, Michael (Laurie), Neil (Tiffany), and Erik (Kim), and grandsons, Austin and Travis.

She is deeply missed by her sisters, Martha (Dick Brossia) and Margie (Hank Van Looy), Herb’s siblings, Richard (Cindy), Tom (Shirley), Kathleen, and Kurt (Kim), as well as extended family from both the Burrells and Koenigs, including dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews.

A visitation for Mary’s family and friends will be held Wednesday May 15, 2024, at 5:00 pm, at Forest Park Funeral Home located at 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.

Her Funeral Service will be held Friday, May 17, 2024, at 10:00 am, at Forest Park Funeral Home located at 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.

Mary loved flowers and charity. Flowers for her service are welcome, charity towards these organizations close to her heart are appreciated.

Parkinson’s Foundation https://www.parkinson.org/

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