Mary Alice Seidel

Mary Alice Seidel died peacefully in her sleep November 21, 2014 from cancer complications. Mary was born the first month of 1943 in Chicago to Jane and Robert Matthei. She was the middle child of five. Mary spent most of her childhood in North Tonawanda, New York, graduating from Niagara-Wheatfield High School in 1961. She attended Valparaiso University in Indiana, graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a certification in Medical Technology. It was at Valparaiso that she met her husband, Charles (Chuck) Seidel. They were married in 1966 while he was a doctoral student at the University of Michigan. Mary worked as a medical technologist and research technician while her husband finished his degree and training. From 1970 through 1976, they lived in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Charlottesville, Virginia finally settling in Houston the spring of 1976. During this time Mary gave birth to their daughter, Stephanie in 1972. Because of the birth of Stephanie, Mary started her second career as a preschool teacher graduating from the Houston Montessori School in 1979. It was her work as a preschool teacher that gave Mary the most satisfaction and for which she is most remembered. She worked at several private schools, retiring in 2004 from Presbyterian School where she was a founding teacher. Mary and Chuck were very active at First Presbyterian Church, Houston, where Mary volunteered in the preschool Sunday school class and sang alto in the church choir. After her retirement she moved to Portsmouth, Commonwealth of Dominica, where her husband took an administrative position at Ross University School of Medicine. During the four years they lived in Dominica, Mary volunteered in a local elementary school and was active in community events. In 2008, she and her husband moved to Freeport, Grand Bahama where Chuck assisted in establishing a branch campus for the medical school. Mary became very active in the Grand Bahama Women’s Association serving one year as recording secretary. In addition, she participated in the annual testing of the vision and hearing acuity of all elementary students on Grand Bahama. For enjoyment she sang alto in the Grand Bahama Regency Singers. Stephanie and her family moved to Grand Bahama in 2009 when Stephanie’s husband became the medical school’s councilor. Stephanie and Jonathon brought with them their twin three-year-old twin girls, Edith and Natalie. During the three years her granddaughters were in Grand Bahama, Mary was a co-leader of their Girl Scout troup where she was known as “Tawny Owl”. Stephanie and Mary were very active in the children’s ministry of Our Savior Lutheran Church of Grand Bahama. They periodically taught children’s Sunday school and assisted in summer vacation bible school. In 2013, Mary and Chuck moved back to their home in Houston, which they worked together to rejuvenate after an absence of almost 10-years. In addition to her husband, daughter and two granddaughters, Mary is survived by her son-in-law, Jonathon Holmsten, sister Betty Schuck, and brother Phil Matthei.

A memorial service is being planned for January in association with Mary’s birthday. If you would like information about the memorial service, want to share your memories of Mary or both please use the link below. Mary loved people so if you have a favorite organization that benefits people please assist that organization by making a donation in Mary’s name.