Mary Frances ROESLER

Mary Frances (Roesler) (Durham) Amburn, 85, died at home on February 19th, 2022, in Kerrville, Texas, surrounded by and cared for by family and Embrace Hospice. She was born in Somerville, Texas, before there was a lake there, as she always said. She moved when she was months old to Houston and grew up there. She attended Cypress-Fairbanks High School and was on the volleyball team and spoke with high praise for her speech teacher. She played the piano and loved to sing. She graduated from Sacred Heart Dominican College, becoming a registered nurse, working as an OB/Gyn nurse at Heights Hospital and the Durham Clinic in Houston. She married the first love of her life, Dr. Charles A. Durham, in August of 1965. They had two children, Andy and Nancy. Although their special love only gave them three years together before he died suddenly, Charles remained ever-present in her heart. No matter where Mary lived or what was happening in her life, her church families were important. She taught Sr. High Sunday School, started a Mother's Day Out program, and was part of the choir at Zion Lutheran Church in Houston; the same church in which she was raised. Mary met Carl Paul Amburn, Jr., her next love, on a Space City ski trip to Zermatt, Switzerland. Even though they lived near each other in Houston, they had never met until that magical trip. Their love was blessed by 40 years of marriage, which began October of 1973, and included living in France briefly, playing lots of golf, and traveling to faraway places like Bora-Bora, Damascus, Syria, and St. Andrews Golf Course in Scotland. Mary enjoyed finding ways to make a difference in her neighborhood. She was part of the ministry of New Hope Lutheran Church in Missouri City, Texas. She helped create a free clinic for the community, refugee families resettle, taught Jr. High Sunday School, sang in the choir, visited the home-bound, helped with the stained glass windows and cross design for the "new" building, served as church council president, and as part of the evangelism team. She lived in Sugar Land during these years and had a close-knit group of friends with whom she golfed regularly. Dressing up in funny costumes and not taking it too seriously, she enjoyed the joys and frustrations of being a golfer. Mary was also involved with the nursing alumni organization for Sacred Heart Dominican College for many years. Eventually retiring to Kerrville, Mary became an active member of Zion Lutheran Church there. She helped with their evangelism team, home-bound ministry, building the new building, liturgist, and sang in the choir. She served as camp nurse several summers at local camps. She helped start the Christian Counseling Center in town. She also was instrumental in the Take Five Club at the Dietert Center for over 20 years. This was one of her dearest passions, helping people and families with dementia. Mary's dear love, Jim Scott, became part of her life when she least expected it. She was so amazed that someone so wonderful would find her to be wonderful, too, at 80 years old! She enjoyed golfing, traveling, and eating out with Jim. They had fun adventures, including a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River and making it through a hurricane in Florida. She also enjoyed visiting with Jim's daughters and their families. This love brought out such a spark in her that she would sometimes giggle like a teenager. Mary is preceded in death by her parents, A. M. and Olga Roesler; her husband, Charles A. Durham, MD; her son, Andrew R. Durham; and her husband, Carl P. Amburn, Jr. Mary is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Durham Amburn and Mark Tonnesen and grandchildren, Tristan Fisher, Andy Fisher, and Liam Fisher; four step-children and spouses: Charles A. and Sue Durham, Lynn Trimble, Michael and Elisabeth Amburn, and Lisa Dawn; eight more grandchildren and their spouses, Mandy Kuffel, Tracy and Shawn Kelly, Brad and Shelby Trimble, April and Eric Haley, Misty and Salem Joseph, Windy and Eddie Joseph, Ashely and Brett Shanks, and Grant and Lindsey Amburn; eighteen great-grandchildren, and one great great-granddaughter. She is survived by her sisters, brothers and spouses: Patsy Breaux, Betty Louis, Matt and Judy Roesler, and Charles and Magdalene Holm-Roesler and nine nieces and nephews and their spouses, twenty-one great-nieces and nephews and spouses, and one great great-nephew. Mary is also survived by her love and special friend, Jim Scott, and his daughters, spouses, and grandchildren, Dawn and Martie Knauss and Madelyn and Jackson, and Tracy and Flint Howard. Visitation with the family will be held Saturday, March 5th, from 3 - 6 p.m. at Heights Funeral Home in Houston, Texas. The funeral will be at Memorial Drive Lutheran Church in Houston on Sunday, March 6th, at 1 p.m. Pallbearers for the service will be Tristan Fisher, Andy Fisher, Liam Fisher, Dolph Roesler, Kirstin Phillips, and Wayde Burchfield. There will also be a memorial service at Zion Lutheran Church in Kerrville, Texas, on Wednesday, March 9th, at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Take Five Club Assistance Fund at the Dietert Center, 451 Guadalupe Street, Kerrville, Texas, 78028. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.heightsfuneralhome.com for the Amburn family.

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