Mary Lou Wittenburg, 98, of Kyle went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, October 7, 2015. She was a resident at Regent Care Center in San Marcos.
Services were Saturday October 10, 2015 at Pennington Funeral Home, 323 N. Comanche St., San Marcos. Interment followed at the Kyle Cemetery.
Mary Lou was born July 14, 1917 in Buda, Texas to William Henry and Lillie Bell Odell Whitaker. She married Wilbur A. Wittenburg on March 1, 1945 when he was on leave while serving in the army during World War II. They lived in Kyle, Texas, mostly in the same house. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1995. She was a homemaker and babysat for many children over the years. From living through the Great Depression era, she could fix anything, use everything and make do with what she had.
For most of her life, she kept a journal. On May 17, 1938 she spent $8.22 on two dresses, two sheets, quilt lining, cotton for a quilt, two pairs of shoes, socks, and hose. She walked three miles to a one room school house. She went to silent movies in San Marcos, and remembered going to Medicine Shows where medicine was sold and you could see a show.
Mary Lou thoroughly enjoyed visits from her family. She was a member of Kyle First Baptist Church and was a member of the Nance Sunday School Class. She enjoyed cooking and was well known for her yeast rolls and infamous chocolate cookies. Her other talents included making hand stitched quilts, growing beautiful flowers, drawing, writing poems, making Christmas ornaments, and other crafts often gifting them to friends and family.
Mary Lou was chosen to be the Parade Marshall of Kyle’s annual parade in October 2009. At the age of 92, she was honored as one of the city’s oldest life-long residents.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and five brothers and their wives: Clarence and Hazel Whitaker, Clinton and Mary Etta Whitaker, Walter and Irene Whitaker, George and Viola Whitaker, and Elton and Bea Whitaker.
Survivors include three daughters and their husbands, Judith and Wayne Bush of Roganville, TX, Carolyn and John Hancock of Amarillo, TX and Debra and Wayne Roach of Kyle, TX; six grandchildren; James Bush and wife Tara of Roganville, TX, Jennifer Bertrand and husband Mark of Winnie, TX, Christi Ozbun of Amarillo, TX, Stacy Sanning and husband Brian of Amarillo, TX, Sarah Roach of Austin, TX, and Lisa Zambrano and husband Alfred of Kyle, TX, and nine great-grandchildren; Bradley and Braedon Bush of Roganville, TX, Caleb and Jasee Bertrand of Winnie, TX, Paxton and Carson Ozbun of Amarillo, TX, Meredith and Blythe Sanning of Amarillo, TX and Anne Zambrano of Kyle, TX and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Regent Care Center of San Marcos, and to Bluebonnet Hospice of New Braunfels for their compassionate care of our loved one.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to First Baptist Church, 400 West Center St., Kyle, TX 78640, or to a favorite charity.
Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home, San Marcos, Texas.