Mary Elizabeth Hosey

Mary was born on December 19, 1941 to Maurice Richard “Dick” Wolf and Kathryn Clanton Wolf in Victoria, Texas. She was the baby of the family but ultimately the caregiver to her parents. The family later moved and settled in Gum Springs, near Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Mary was a country girl and had a special love for animals. When remarking on life growing up, she said that things weren’t as complicated as they are now. She insisted that she obtained her driver’s license by merely being able to put the car in reverse and back up. She graduated from Arkadelphia High School and attended Henderson State Teachers College. She met the love of her life, Kirby W. Hosey, while still in high school. They married on March 26, 1959 in Arkadelphia and began their life together, a marriage that would endure for almost 53 years. Kirby always called Mary his Special Angel as that was “their song”.

Mary served as an Officer’s wife in the US Army for over 23 years with travel taking that simple country girl from Arkansas to Okinawa and many points beyond. The country girl learned the ropes of entertaining (back when people did that regularly) and hospitality while raising and wrangling their three children; Wayne, Holly and Steve. She was a fun, keen bridge player and an amazing cook; always taking something to whomever was in need and hosting big dinners. Her Giblet Gravy, as well as her pound cake, was an experience in itself.

Mary volunteered with the Red Cross and many other organizations in addition to supporting her children’s activities and school events whether it was serving as a den mother for rambunctious Boy Scouts or baking countless cakes for fund raisers. Once the children were older, Mary worked part-time as a special assistant to the Chairman of the Board for a national airline. She retired in the early 1980’s after Kirby retired from the US Army and began his career with the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) agency. Even with all of those activities, her family, friends and reaching out to others were always her priorities. Mary was also beloved Nanny, grandmother to seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mary was a beautiful, striking woman that could cause Kirby to let loose with one of his Roy Orbison-like growls in appreciation for his special angel. Her beauty was inside as well. She had one of the sweetest, tender-hearted, generous, loving spirits. She was a woman of deep faith in Jesus Christ. She spent a lot of time in prayer and reading the Bible. When her eyesight started to fade, she commented that she needed to read her Bible more and memorize more scriptures should she no longer be able to read.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Dick and Kathryn Wolf, and parents-in-law, Kenneth and Valliree Hosey.

She is survived by her loving husband, Kirby W. Hosey, of Bryan, Texas; sister, Geneva and husband, Norman Patton and nephew, David Patton, of Pontiac, Michigan; son, Wayne Hosey and his wife, Donna, grandchildren Brandon and Nick, all of Hallsville, and John McKendrick and his daughter, great-grandchild, Caitlyn, of San Antonio; son, Steve Hosey and his wife, Jenny, grandchildren Nathan and Amanda, all of College Station, and Melissa, of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and daughter, Holly (Hosey) Crenshaw, grandson Sam Crenshaw, and son-in-law, Wayne Crenshaw, all of College Station and her beloved feline companion, Baby.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, March 8, 2012, at 11:00am at the Rest-Ever Cemetery in Bryan, Texas with Reverend Bill Magee officiating. Arrangements are being coordinated by Memorial Funeral Chapel in College Station, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity, do a kind deed or bake a cake for someone in need… or just because.