Mary Ann Schroeder

Mary Ann Schroeder, age 93, of Austin, passed away February 23, 2020, at Heart Hospital of Austin. She was born on June 29, 1926, in Dubuque, Iowa to Marie and Alfred Dupont. She attended Nativity Catholic School and St Columbkille Catholic High School. There she excelled in her classwork and lettered in basketball.

After high school, she moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin to attend The St. Francis School of Nursing. At the school, she met a wonderful group of lifelong friends. During her last days there, she met Eugene Robert (Bob) Schroeder. They fell in love and married on June 22, 1949.

For the next 25 years of her life, in Texas, New Mexico and Spain, she took on numerous selfless volunteer positions in whatever parish they settled in, or at the local religious run hospital auxiliary.

From Madrid Spain, they moved back into the Dallas parish of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1962. Mary Ann promptly participated on school board committees, and as the volunteer school nurse. She even took on the leadership role of STA Board President.

Entertaining was a fun pastime with bridge games, girls group lunches, and birthday celebrations, as well as the annual NYE celebration. Giving of herself to family and friends, in work and play, was second nature to Mary Ann.

Along with volunteering, she managed a house and raised 5 children. She kept the home fires burning for Bob, who traveled the world for his work as a geologist.

As her youngest was leaving elementary school, Mary Ann began managing Joe Jackson Realtors and earned her Realtor and Broker licenses. She went on to graduate from the University of Texas Dallas, with a General Studies Degree with Honors in 1983.

After losing her dearest husband Bob in 1984, Mary Ann continued her travels with family and friends, established the non-profit Low Vision Connection, and was honored as the Eckerd Local Honoree, and Woman of the Year in Dallas in 1999.

She wrote many stories and poems on life, loyalty, love, and laughter, which she shared with cherished friends and family which she kept close to her heart.

We especially want to honor Mary Ann’s sister Jean and brother Paul, and her wonderful nieces and nephews who came to visit. As well as her constant contact with the Gonzalez family, lifelong friends from Spain. She especially valued the visits from Ann Gonzalez Mckee, whom she referred to as “her other daughter”.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her parents Alfred and Marie Dupont, her sister Audrey Dupont, brothers Jack Dupont and Joe Dupont. And brother-in-law Kenneth Cupps.

Mary Ann is survived by her children Bob, John, Sue, Allen, and Ann; brother, Paul Dupont and wife Sara, of Dubuque, Iowa; sister, Jean Cupps of Nevada, Iowa; sisters-in-law Jan Dupont of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marilyn Callis and husband Mike of Arlington Heights, Illinois; grandchildren, Danny (wife Amy), Jessica, Becky, David, Natalie, Katherine, Elizabeth, Eric; great-grandchildren, Gabriel, Nadia, Declan, Asher, Jason, Jacob, Joey, and Johnny; great-great-grandchildren Brayden and Brooklynn. She is also survived by much-loved cousins, nieces, and nephews who she talked about often and loved from afar. As well as many friends who loved her.

The family would like to extend especial appreciation to Heart Hospital of Austin and Hospice Austin.