A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday Feb. 15 at 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church in Abilene with Dr. Lynn Moore, officiating under the direction of Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home.
Maurine was born at home near the farming community of Baltic, Renner SD area September 22, 1924 to Martin and Helen (Nytroe) Brekke. While she lived her long, productive life primarily in Abilene, TX, she always sought to maintain close relations with family and friends in her South Dakota home community and was very proud of her Norwegian/Swedish heritage.
Maurine met and married Troy Mallon of Abilene/Caps area in South Dakota during WWII, before 1946, and they settled in Abilene where Troy became chief engineer at KRBC and she became a housewife. With the unexpected early death of her husband at age 42, Maurine became the sole bread winner, and mother of 3 children, and fortunately found a successful career with World Book Encyclopedias for 27 years. She traveled extensively in the north and central Texas area and knew many in the region. She loved her World Book career and was full of stories of the people she came to know and love over the years.
She was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Abilene, loved being a 3 year old Sunday school teacher and working with the children's choir for many years, as well as singing in the adult choir. She was a devoted member of the Gold Band Class, and loved her many church friends and organizing many social events with her church groups. In her later years, she found a new job as “the grandmother hugger" for the neighborhood children's camp. She volunteered for several years at the Breakfast on Beech Street Food Kitchen and was a devoted visitor of those in assisted living and nursing homes. She was active Cub Scout and Brownie leader for several years. She loved the children and children loved her.
In retirement, she traveled extensively nationally and overseas with friends and family and enjoyed being on the go. She was a devoted attendee of the Abilene Philharmonic, Paramount Theater, Grace Museum and local theater productions. Even in her more dependent years, after broken bones from falls, ultimately becoming mostly wheel chair bound, she remained the eternal optimist, confident in her faith, and open to life’s changes, “I make friends wherever I go.”
Maurine is preceded in death by her infant son Gary Ray; her parents, Martin and Helen Brekke; husband Troy; sisters Judith Boy, and Amy Kluksdahl; and brother Kenneth Brekke of Baltic, SD.
She is survived by her children, David (Julie), Randy of Round Rock, and Paula Ahrendt (Greg) of Fredericksburg; 7 beloved grandchildren, Laurel (Bob) Reno of Philadelphia, PA, Paul (Jacque) Mallon of Leander, Courtney Mallon (Greg Hall) of Round Rock, Asher Ahrendt of Columbus, OH, Ffjorren Zolfaghar of Kingwood, TX, Atticus Ahrendt (Amanda Rowe) Fredericksburg, and Hylary Ahrendt of Colorado; 12 beloved great grandchildren; 5 nieces, 2 nephews, many cousins, and sister-in-law Patti Baack of Arizona.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to the charity of your choice or First United Methodist Church, 202 Butternut Street, Abilene, TX 79602.
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