Mae Augusta Schuster

Mae Augusta (Oates) Schuster, 110, passed away Saturday, September 21, 2024 in Dallas. Graveside services were held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 5 at Fairview Cemetery in Hubbard, Texas followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at The Villages of Dallas where Mae was a longtime resident.
Mae Augusta Oates was born 110 years ago on August 8, 1914, in San Antonio, Texas. She was the youngest of three girls: Elva, Annie, and Mae, born to Thomas and Emma Lou Oates. Her parents lived in San Antonio and several other cities in Texas until they moved to the small town of Rotan in West Texas where they lived for the rest of their lives. Mae graduated from high school in Balmorhea, Texas, graduating as valedictorian. Then she attended Texas Tech University until World War II started. She met Fredrick Louis Schuster in 1935 and they were married one year later. They had one child, Fredrick Louis Schuster, Jr.
Mae was a full-time wife and mother until her son went to college. She then worked for numerous marketing companies. She worked as Sales Manager for H.T. Ardinger Importers at the World Trade Center in Dallas, Texas.
Forty years ago, in 1984, after almost 50 years of marriage, her husband died in Hubbard, Texas, and is buried there. Mae will be laid to rest with him in the same plot. Her family is sure that her husband will ask, "Mae, where have you been?"
Mae was very active in Cliff Temple Baptist church in Dallas. Last year she was asked to make a personal presentation about herself and her church, to be posted on the internet to celebrate the church's 125th anniversary. It was a remarkable achievement for a 109-year-old woman. It is still on the internet if you care to look at it.
She devoted many hours to the local antique car club and took numerous trips in a 1917 Bush roadster which was restored by her husband. Perhaps her first love of activities was playing bridge. She had the reputation of being an outstanding bridge player and attained the rank of Master Bridge Player. She was President of the Dallas Bridge Club for many years. She was invited by and partnered with top bridge players including Charles Goren and Omar Sherif.
She was President of the PTA in her son's grade school, middle school, and high school. During his four years at Texas A&M, Fred was the President of the Dallas, Texas A&M students club and she was President of the Dallas A&M Parents Association which supported all Dallas students attending Texas A&M University. When Fred graduated from Air Force pilot training she came to Williams Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, and pinned his Air Force Pilot wings on my uniform. Her constant support was the most positive example a young man could receive and he tried to always make sure she knew how important she was to his life.
Mae Schuster was a talented, thoughtful, hardworking person. She was a person of great compassion and devotion to her family and friends. Above all, she believed in the value of family, faith, and hard work. She always felt that family is the most important thing in life. Those are words of wisdom that Fred will always cherish.
She is survived by son, Fred and his wife, Dr. Jill Schuster; grandson Michael and his wife Teresa; her granddaughters Deborah, Tiffany, Kimberly Wilson and her husband, Rob and their children, Sophia and Ian; her great-grandchildren, Parker and his wife, Julia, and their children Phoebe and Dorian Kent; her great-grandson Connor and her caretakers Bonnie and Beatrice.
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there I do not sleep.
A famous writer once said, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
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