Mary (Billeck) Juergens (1910 - 2007)

Born 1 Feb 1910 in Weimar, Colorado Co. Texas

Ancestors

Wife of August Otto Juergens — married 25 Nov 1933 in Weimar, Colorado Co. Texas

Died 15 Apr 2007 at age 97 in Weimar, Colorado Co. Texas

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Obituary

Mary (Billeck) Juergens, 97, of Weimar died April 15 at Parkview Manor Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held Thursday, April 19 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Michael Catholic Church with Father John C. Bily officiating and assisted by Deacon Paul Wichmann, father of Gretchen Wichmann Juergens.

Interment followed at St. Michael Cemetery in Weimar.

Mary was born Feb. 1, 1910 in Colorado County, just outside of Weimar, to Ferdinand and Pauline (Beyer) Billeck.

Mary grew up in the country and attended Bois d'Arc School.

She married August Juergens on Nov. 25, 1933 in Weimar. Twins were born on Nov. 4, 1934, but unfortunately they lost Eunice on Nov. 30, 1934. They also had a stillborn son on Feb. 1, 1947.

She was a housewife, as they farmed until 1948. When the Youens Memorial Hospital opened, she was the first cook employed there and continued in excess of 25 years.

After she retired from the hospital, she tended children and older adults, each of whom, she came to love very much. She lived her entire life in the Weimar area.

She was a member of the Catholic Daughters, St. Ann's Society and Hermann Sons for 50 plus years in each.

Mary enjoyed cooking and received many wonderful compliments from patients and employees at the hospital as well as friends and family. Almost every meal we had at her home included her great sweet rice. She enjoyed serving others and cared for many ill relatives and others.

Her friends ranged in age from the young to the aged. Many people had great pleasure enjoying the view of the beautiful flowers she loved to tend at her home.

After breaking her shoulder in 1998, she entered Parkview Manor for Rehabilitation. Then shortly after doing so, she became very ill with pneumonia. It was decided then that she would continue living at Parkview due to her health problems and her fear of falling while living alone. Over the years she was in and out of the Colorado-Fayette Medical Center Hospital but always had the stamina to bounce back. On April 15, 2006, she had another major heart attack. The cardiologist said she probably would not make it out of the Hospital... however, she surprised everyone and lived another full year!

She always thanked her caregivers, even in difficult situations. Her inability to walk alone became one of her greatest challenges in the last year. She was a woman of great faith though and spent many hours in prayer for relatives and friends.

Mary loved her sweets, especially chocolate covered marshmallows. But she also loved sharing her sweets with others, friends and family. One of her most repeated comments was "Have you had anything to eat?" If you hesitated for a moment, she would then add "Well, you better go get something to eat!"

She loved watching baseball, especially the Houston Astros. She would say, "I like to see those boys hit and catch those balls."

Until she could no longer do so, she loved traveling to visit with her two granddaughters in Utah, her grandson in Houston and her 16 great-grandchildren. She never got to make it to Utah after her great-great grandchild, Jaak was born in February of 2006, but he made it to see her in June of 2006.

She is survived by her son, Eugene A. "Gene" Juergens and wife Jeannie of Houston; and three grandchildren, Dana (Juergens) Wright and husband John of Provo, Utah, Sheila (Juergens) Ostler and husband Richard of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Dr. Kurt A. Juergens and wife Gretchen of Houston.

She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Cari (Wright) Runia and husband Ryan of Provo, Utah; Austin, Brady, Gabrielle and Natalie Wright of Provo, Utah;

Also, Abby, Adam, Jacob, Matthew, Emily and Benjamin Ostler of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Tyler, Heidi, Garrett, Mitchell and Andrew Juergens of Houston; and one great-great-grandchild, Jaak Runia of Provo, Utah.

She was preceded in death by her husband; an infant daughter, Eunice (Gene's twin); infant son; parents; sisters, Lena, France and Tillie; and brothers, Frank, Joe, Fred, Charlie, Edward, Rudolph, Henry, Emil and Richard, and each of their spouses.

Pallbearers were her great-grandsons, Garrett and Mitchell Juergens and Adam Ostler; and nephews, LeRoy Reimers, Erwin "DeeGee" Reimers, Paul Billeck, Robert Billeck and Leonard Billeck.

Honorary pallbearers were her nephews, Edwin "Bubba" Billeck, Henry Billeck, Richard "Dickie" Billeck, Darryl "Darry" Billeck and Tommy Nitschmann. Weimar Mercury, April 26, 2007, page 2A