Mary Agnes Rigby Coerver, newly 90, a native Galvestonian BOI, lived most of her life in La Marque. She will be missed by not only her family, but by many loving caregivers at Seven Acres nursing home in Houston As she grew more frail, they would come check on her even when she was not their charge that day. Their tears at her passing were a testimony to her daily expressions of thanks to them.
Mary was born to Harry and Agnes Lewis Rigby on July 24, 1920, the first of four girls. Her second sister was Sarah Blanton of Texas City, her third sister is Harriet Jean McKnight of Texas City, and her fourth sister was Cora “Coco” Criswell, of Santa Fe. They grew up next door to the corner of 10th & I. Daughters of a post-man, in summer they would wait on the steps for him to take them to the beach!
A graduate of Ball High, she was the first in her family to get a degree, from TWU, (then TSCW), with a BS in chemistry. She taught one year at Stephen F. Austin and then worked as a chemist at Monsanto in Texas City. She had tales to tell about commuting in fog so thick her driver could only see the road stripe by holding his door open!
Mary met her husband Fred Coerver, from IL, at a WWII USO dance at Menard Park. Married in 1944, in 1945 Mary could only send a letter to Fred that their first child Betty (Gay) was born. Fred, Jr. arrived in 1948.
Mary stayed at home with the children until 1959 when she started running the first thyroid chemistry tests at St. Mary’s. She and Fred commuted together, he to the Courthouse. Later she worked at County Memorial, closer to home. After she helped send the children to Lamar U (then Lamar Tech), she retired but continued for many years volunteering as a Pink Lady at the hospital. She was an active member of the Altar Guild and Daughters of the King at St. Michael’s in LM and All Saint’s. She was on the board of St. Vincent’s House, Galveston, and worked on the TWU reunions.
Mary loved to sew everything from cowboy shirts and darling dresses for her children and grandchildren to huge silk altar hangings and delicate Christmas ornaments.
Mary’s most special moments were with all her family. Her children, Betty Gay of Salem, NH and Fred Coerver, Jr. of Houston, remember her mixing cookies. She patiently let them watch from crowded perches on the countertop, right next to the mixer. She saw her two grandchildren in NH, Janabeth Benjamin Reitter and Andrew Benjamin as often as possible. She took an active part in her grandchild, Sean Coerver’s life from the time he was born.
After a bad fall that left her blind in one eye, at the age of 79 she moved into Hearthstone so that she could stay close to her friends. When her health failed five years ago, she moved to Seven Acres where her daughter-in-law, Annette “Annie” Betz is a director.
She leaves behind her children and grandchildren, her sister, Jean, and her great-grandchildren, Alissa and Alec Reitter of San Diego and Carlie and Ellie Coerver of Houston.
Mary’s funeral service will begin at 2pm at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Santa Fe, followed by the burial in Galveston Memorial Cemetery nearby on 2004. Afterwards, in lieu of visitation, all attendees are invited to a meal served at the parish hall featuring Mary’s favorite foods.
Memorial contributions can be made to All Saint’s Episcopal Church, 10416 Highway 6, Hitchcock, TX 77563, or Seven Acres Jewish Sr. Care Services, 6200 N. Braeswood, Houston, TX 77074, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.
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