Mary Ruth Valerius

Mary Ruth Valerius
03/19/2025
Mary Ruth Sheldon Valerius died on March 19, 2025 in Houston Texas, after a short battle with cancer.

She attended Lamar High School and continued her education at The University of Texas at Austin where she became an active member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority.
She married Robert Valerius in 1959 and lived in several cities before settling in Corpus Christi for 44 years raising a family. Once her children began school, she earned a B.S degree in Nutrition at Texas A&I in Kingsville (now Texas A&M) traveling about 40 miles each way every day. She says she could not have done it without the support of her loving husband. After working for a short time as a dietitian, she began working with Robert at his new oil and gas business. Mary Ruth loved traveling with close friends and entertaining them and family at their vacation home on the Blanco River in Wimberley Texas. She loved sewing, music, cooking and hosted many dinner parties with close friends. In 2006 she and Robert moved to Houston and joined Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. She became involved with the food ministry and had the honor of being asked to become an elder. Mary Ruth was an active member of P.E.O. in both Corpus Christi and Houston.

Mary Ruth is preceded in death by her father John Francis Sheldon, her mother Lillian Augspurger Sheldon, her sister Barbara Sheldon McKeown, and her brother, John Augspurger Sheldon. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert David Valerius and their three married children, David Valerius (wife Sarah), Kathy Valerius Rice (husband Mark) and Karen Valerius Shannon (husband Chris) and six grandchildren and one great grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services (pchas.org)

Memorial Service Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2:00 pm at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 11612 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77024, with a reception to follow at the church.