Marilyn Rose Ryan Rundzieher

MARILYN ROSE RYAN RUNDZIEHER

LIBERTY HILL - Marilyn Rose Ryan Rundzieher, 65, of Liberty Hill, went to be with Jesus and other family in heaven on Jan. 28, 2008 after valiantly fighting cancer for over two and a half years. She was born Dec. 13, 1942, in Beeville, to Levada Mae Covington Ryan and the late Alvin Adolph Ryan.
She grew up in Kenedy where she attended public school. After public school she attended and graduated from Durham Business College in San Antonio. Upon graduation she married Ernest Allen Rundzieher on Dec. 23, 1961 in Victoria. They were married for over 46 years. They began their lives together in Victoria where she gave life to her first son, William Franklin Rundzieher, on Oct. 5, 1962. After the birth of her first son, they moved to Houston where they lived for almost 20 years. While living in Houston she gave life to her second son, Allen Craig Rundzieher, on May 29, 1967. She was the ultimate sports mom. From Little League baseball, football, school sports through college baseball, she was always there for her boys growing up. She did it all from mowing Little League fields to working in concession stands.
While living in Houston she was employed by Durkee United Methodist church as the church secretary serving numerous pastors over the years. In 1982 her family moved to Lampasas. While in Lampasas she was employed by the First United Methodist church of Lampasas as the church secretary. She served many pastors there as well.
In 1982 Ernest had gone to work for the Texas Department of Corrections as a C.O. or correctional officer. He was assigned to the Eastham Unit in Trinity. In 1989, Marilyn took a leap of faith and followed her husband to work for the Texas Department of Corrections as a correctional officer. Marilyn was assigned to the Ramsey I unit in Rosharon. In January of 1990, Texas Department of Corrections changed names to Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and at that time both Ernest and Marilyn transferred to Gatesville. Ernest worked at the Hilltop Unit and Marilyn opened the Hughes Unit which was a 2,250 bed male maximum security unit. In 1992 both Ernest and Marilyn transferred to Beeville, Texas and opened the McConnell unit, which also was a 2,250 male maximum security unit. In 1997, Ernest retired and they moved again to the Austin area where Marilyn transferred to the Travis unit as the inmate grievance investigator. Marilyn retired from TDCJ at the Travis unit the last day of August 2003. We have been blessed knowing and loving her as she touched so many lives. She spent her final years enjoying her grandchildren and enjoying life with family and friends.
She is survived by her husband, Ernest; her two sons, Allen and wife Jeannie, and William (Bill) and wife Dee Ann; her mother Levada Ryan; her six grandchildren, Christina, Ryan, Ashley, Ben, Will, and James; her daughter, Donna Allen; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews; and all of her TDCJ family.
She was preceded in death by her father, Alvin Adolph Ryan and her brother James (Jim) Franklin Ryan.
Services will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008 at First United Methodist Church in Burnet with the Rev. Ellen Ely and the Rev. Billy J. Hammond officiating. Burial will follow at 4 p.m. in Crescent Valley Cemetery in Bloomington.
In lieu of flowers, she asks that donations be made to St. Jude's Children Cancer Research, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, Tenn 38101, 800-822-6344; or
First United Methodist Church of Burnet, 909 Vanderveer St., Burnet, TX 78611.
Edgar Funeral Home, 109 N. Main St. Burnet, Texas 78611.