Mary Jane Munson Hirsch, 84, a longtime resident of College Station with deep roots in the growth of this community, passed away Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at home with her family present. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, January 29, at Hillier Funeral Home in College Station. The Life Celebration will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, January 30, 2016, at A&M United Methodist Church in College Station.
Mary Jane was born in Bryan, Texas, but lived her life as a College Station original, growing up on the TAMC campus in her early years with her parents, Col. Thurmond Amos Munson (a civil engineering professor who graduated from Texas A&M College in 1910) and Mary Emma "Minnie" Hardwick Munson, of Alabama. Her father did an important work project for the city of College Station when he laid out the College Hills residential section east of Texas Avenue, and Munson Avenue is named in his honor. Mary Jane and her brother Thurmond, Jr. attended A&M Consolidated School in the "chicken coops", the white wooden structures that existed for many years along Timber Street where Timber Academy stands today.
World War II moved Mary Jane’s family out of town with her father’s stateside military service, attending different schools during her pre-teen years. Later Mary Jane graduated from Angleton High School near the coast after her parents settled on the land of her father’s ancestors, who were original Stephen F. Austin land grant settlers in Brazoria County, long before Texas joined the United States.
Mary Jane showed her independence and ambition by embarking to Sullins College in Virginia, a two-year women’s college where she excelled in science and math, was editor of the yearbook and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She completed her four-year undergraduate degree in education at the University of Texas and was a leader in the Alpha Phi sorority.
Mary Jane’s brother, Thurmond, was attending the all-male Texas A&M College military school and he introduced her to his classmate, Teddy J. Hirsch. They had great fun together with friends, especially along the Texas coastal beaches and waterways that they loved all their lives. After graduation, Mary Jane began her career as a high school math teacher in Teddy’s home town of Port Arthur, Texas, and Teddy made it a point to see her often, driving from his post-graduation assignment as a second lieutenant in Fort Polk, LA, and later Fort Belvoir, VA. On receiving his orders to report for shipment to the Korean War, Teddy leaped into his car for a non-stop 1,500 mile drive from Fort Belvoir, VA to Port Arthur, TX, to put a ring on Mary Jane’s finger before he left for Korea.
After Teddy’s return from Korea, they were married on June 4, 1955. In 1956, Mary Jane and Teddy moved to College Station with Teddy’s offer of a graduate position in pursuit of his Ph.D. in civil engineering and eventual research professorship. They made their lives in College Station as integral parts of the Aggie community.
Mary Jane never tired of learning and attended science classes at Texas A&M the first semester women were permitted to enroll. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in education at Texas A&M, and eventually became one of A&M Consolidated’s best known teachers of Algebra during the 1970s and 1980s. There she was an active sponsor of the "JETS", the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
Mary Jane was active in various community volunteer endeavors, most notably as a primary leader in the introduction of girl's sports to College Station, especially the formation of a girl's community softball league. She was also a leader in establishing the first Alpha Phi sorority house at Texas A&M University.
Mary Jane was also active in the A&M United Methodist Church throughout her residencies in College Station, joining officially at age eight. In addition to her faithful presence in her Sunday School class, she gave many volunteer hours through the church helping the wives of foreign students of TAMU. She even brought foreign students with her on family trips as far away as Colorado to help them know more about the United States.
After her retirement from teaching, Mary Jane became active in the City of College Station Historic Preservation Society. She was also among the first volunteers as a docent at the George Bush Presidential Library from before it opened in 1997, and served as a docent there for 10 years. Mary Jane and Teddy held TAMU season tickets and faithfully attended football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball games.
Mary Jane lived her life with sweet kindness, love and grace, her first thought always being those around her, from her family, to her high-school students, to the foreign student wives who were so far from their own families. She accepted everyone and appreciated their best qualities.
Mary’s favorite memories were centered around the Munson Family Reunion and long trips with many family and friends to snow ski and to enjoy Surfside Beach. Mary Jane and Teddy celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2015.
She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Jeffery Hirsch in 1985; and grandson, Kenneth Hirsch.
Survivors include her husband, Teddy; daughters, Mary K. Hirsch, of College Station, and Sarah Hirsch Thompson and husband, Steve, of Southlake; son, Teddy James Hirsch, Jr. and wife, Leatha, of Olney, TX; grandchildren: Madeline, Jeffery, Randall and Angela Hirsch, Colin, Meagan, Lauren and Ryan Thompson; brother, Thurmond Munson and her dearly-loved sister-in-law, Doris; and many of her extended family with whom she maintained close ties. B21
Mary Jane was born in Bryan, Texas, but lived her life as a College Station original, growing up on the TAMC campus in her early years with her parents, Col. Thurmond Amos Munson (a civil engineering professor who graduated from Texas A&M College in 1910) and Mary Emma "Minnie" Hardwick Munson, of Alabama. Her father did an important work project for the city of College Station when he laid out the College Hills residential section east of Texas Avenue, and Munson Avenue is named in his honor. Mary Jane and her brother Thurmond, Jr. attended A&M Consolidated School in the "chicken coops", the white wooden structures that existed for many years along Timber Street where Timber Academy stands today.
World War II moved Mary Jane’s family out of town with her father’s stateside military service, attending different schools during her pre-teen years. Later Mary Jane graduated from Angleton High School near the coast after her parents settled on the land of her father’s ancestors, who were original Stephen F. Austin land grant settlers in Brazoria County, long before Texas joined the United States.
Mary Jane showed her independence and ambition by embarking to Sullins College in Virginia, a two-year women’s college where she excelled in science and math, was editor of the yearbook and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She completed her four-year undergraduate degree in education at the University of Texas and was a leader in the Alpha Phi sorority.
Mary Jane’s brother, Thurmond, was attending the all-male Texas A&M College military school and he introduced her to his classmate, Teddy J. Hirsch. They had great fun together with friends, especially along the Texas coastal beaches and waterways that they loved all their lives. After graduation, Mary Jane began her career as a high school math teacher in Teddy’s home town of Port Arthur, Texas, and Teddy made it a point to see her often, driving from his post-graduation assignment as a second lieutenant in Fort Polk, LA, and later Fort Belvoir, VA. On receiving his orders to report for shipment to the Korean War, Teddy leaped into his car for a non-stop 1,500 mile drive from Fort Belvoir, VA to Port Arthur, TX, to put a ring on Mary Jane’s finger before he left for Korea.
After Teddy’s return from Korea, they were married on June 4, 1955. In 1956, Mary Jane and Teddy moved to College Station with Teddy’s offer of a graduate position in pursuit of his Ph.D. in civil engineering and eventual research professorship. They made their lives in College Station as integral parts of the Aggie community.
Mary Jane never tired of learning and attended science classes at Texas A&M the first semester women were permitted to enroll. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in education at Texas A&M, and eventually became one of A&M Consolidated’s best known teachers of Algebra during the 1970s and 1980s. There she was an active sponsor of the "JETS", the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
Mary Jane was active in various community volunteer endeavors, most notably as a primary leader in the introduction of girl's sports to College Station, especially the formation of a girl's community softball league. She was also a leader in establishing the first Alpha Phi sorority house at Texas A&M University.
Mary Jane was also active in the A&M United Methodist Church throughout her residencies in College Station, joining officially at age eight. In addition to her faithful presence in her Sunday School class, she gave many volunteer hours through the church helping the wives of foreign students of TAMU. She even brought foreign students with her on family trips as far away as Colorado to help them know more about the United States.
After her retirement from teaching, Mary Jane became active in the City of College Station Historic Preservation Society. She was also among the first volunteers as a docent at the George Bush Presidential Library from before it opened in 1997, and served as a docent there for 10 years. Mary Jane and Teddy held TAMU season tickets and faithfully attended football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball games.
Mary Jane lived her life with sweet kindness, love and grace, her first thought always being those around her, from her family, to her high-school students, to the foreign student wives who were so far from their own families. She accepted everyone and appreciated their best qualities.
Mary’s favorite memories were centered around the Munson Family Reunion and long trips with many family and friends to snow ski and to enjoy Surfside Beach. Mary Jane and Teddy celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2015.
She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Jeffery Hirsch in 1985; and grandson, Kenneth Hirsch.
Survivors include her husband, Teddy; daughters, Mary K. Hirsch, of College Station, and Sarah Hirsch Thompson and husband, Steve, of Southlake; son, Teddy James Hirsch, Jr. and wife, Leatha, of Olney, TX; grandchildren: Madeline, Jeffery, Randall and Angela Hirsch, Colin, Meagan, Lauren and Ryan Thompson; brother, Thurmond Munson and her dearly-loved sister-in-law, Doris; and many of her extended family with whom she maintained close ties. B21
Mary Jane Munson Hirsch, 84, a longtime resident of College Station with deep roots in the growth of this community, passed away Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at home with her family present. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, January 29, at Hillier Funeral Home in College Station. The Life Celebration will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, January 30, 2016, at A&M United Methodist Church in College Station.
Mary Jane was born in Bryan, Texas, but lived her life as a College Station original, growing up on the TAMC campus in her early years with her parents, Col. Thurmond Amos Munson (a civil engineering professor who graduated from Texas A&M College in 1910) and Mary Emma "Minnie" Hardwick Munson, of Alabama. Her father did an important work project for the city of College Station when he laid out the College Hills residential section east of Texas Avenue, and Munson Avenue is named in his honor. Mary Jane and her brother Thurmond, Jr. attended A&M Consolidated School in the "chicken coops", the white wooden structures that existed for many years along Timber Street where Timber Academy stands today.
World War II moved Mary Jane’s family out of town with her father’s stateside military service, attending different schools during her pre-teen years. Later Mary Jane graduated from Angleton High School near the coast after her parents settled on the land of her father’s ancestors, who were original Stephen F. Austin land grant settlers in Brazoria County, long before Texas joined the United States.
Mary Jane showed her independence and ambition by embarking to Sullins College in Virginia, a two-year women’s college where she excelled in science and math, was editor of the yearbook and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She completed her four-year undergraduate degree in education at the University of Texas and was a leader in the Alpha Phi sorority.
Mary Jane’s brother, Thurmond, was attending the all-male Texas A&M College military school and he introduced her to his classmate, Teddy J. Hirsch. They had great fun together with friends, especially along the Texas coastal beaches and waterways that they loved all their lives. After graduation, Mary Jane began her career as a high school math teacher in Teddy’s home town of Port Arthur, Texas, and Teddy made it a point to see her often, driving from his post-graduation assignment as a second lieutenant in Fort Polk, LA, and later Fort Belvoir, VA. On receiving his orders to report for shipment to the Korean War, Teddy leaped into his car for a non-stop 1,500 mile drive from Fort Belvoir, VA to Port Arthur, TX, to put a ring on Mary Jane’s finger before he left for Korea.
After Teddy’s return from Korea, they were married on June 4, 1955. In 1956, Mary Jane and Teddy moved to College Station with Teddy’s offer of a graduate position in pursuit of his Ph.D. in civil engineering and eventual research professorship. They made their lives in College Station as integral parts of the Aggie community.
Mary Jane never tired of learning and attended science classes at Texas A&M the first semester women were permitted to enroll. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in education at Texas A&M, and eventually became one of A&M Consolidated’s best known teachers of Algebra during the 1970s and 1980s. There she was an active sponsor of the "JETS", the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
Mary Jane was active in various community volunteer endeavors, most notably as a primary leader in the introduction of girl's sports to College Station, especially the formation of a girl's community softball league. She was also a leader in establishing the first Alpha Phi sorority house at Texas A&M University.
Mary Jane was also active in the A&M United Methodist Church throughout her residencies in College Station, joining officially at age eight. In addition to her faithful presence in her Sunday School class, she gave many volunteer hours through the church helping the wives of foreign students of TAMU. She even brought foreign students with her on family trips as far away as Colorado to help them know more about the United States.
After her retirement from teaching, Mary Jane became active in the City of College Station Historic Preservation Society. She was also among the first volunteers as a docent at the George Bush Presidential Library from before it opened in 1997, and served as a docent there for 10 years. Mary Jane and Teddy held TAMU season tickets and faithfully attended football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball games.
Mary Jane lived her life with sweet kindness, love and grace, her first thought always being those around her, from her family, to her high-school students, to the foreign student wives who were so far from their own families. She accepted everyone and appreciated their best qualities.
Mary’s favorite memories were centered around the Munson Family Reunion and long trips with many family and friends to snow ski and to enjoy Surfside Beach. Mary Jane and Teddy celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2015.
She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Jeffery Hirsch in 1985; and grandson, Kenneth Hirsch.
Survivors include her husband, Teddy; daughters, Mary K. Hirsch, of College Station, and Sarah Hirsch Thompson and husband, Steve, of Southlake; son, Teddy James Hirsch, Jr. and wife, Leatha, of Olney, TX; grandchildren: Madeline, Jeffery, Randall and Angela Hirsch, Colin, Meagan, Lauren and Ryan Thompson; brother, Thurmond Munson and her dearly-loved sister-in-law, Doris; and many of her extended family with whom she maintained close ties. B21
Mary Jane was born in Bryan, Texas, but lived her life as a College Station original, growing up on the TAMC campus in her early years with her parents, Col. Thurmond Amos Munson (a civil engineering professor who graduated from Texas A&M College in 1910) and Mary Emma "Minnie" Hardwick Munson, of Alabama. Her father did an important work project for the city of College Station when he laid out the College Hills residential section east of Texas Avenue, and Munson Avenue is named in his honor. Mary Jane and her brother Thurmond, Jr. attended A&M Consolidated School in the "chicken coops", the white wooden structures that existed for many years along Timber Street where Timber Academy stands today.
World War II moved Mary Jane’s family out of town with her father’s stateside military service, attending different schools during her pre-teen years. Later Mary Jane graduated from Angleton High School near the coast after her parents settled on the land of her father’s ancestors, who were original Stephen F. Austin land grant settlers in Brazoria County, long before Texas joined the United States.
Mary Jane showed her independence and ambition by embarking to Sullins College in Virginia, a two-year women’s college where she excelled in science and math, was editor of the yearbook and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She completed her four-year undergraduate degree in education at the University of Texas and was a leader in the Alpha Phi sorority.
Mary Jane’s brother, Thurmond, was attending the all-male Texas A&M College military school and he introduced her to his classmate, Teddy J. Hirsch. They had great fun together with friends, especially along the Texas coastal beaches and waterways that they loved all their lives. After graduation, Mary Jane began her career as a high school math teacher in Teddy’s home town of Port Arthur, Texas, and Teddy made it a point to see her often, driving from his post-graduation assignment as a second lieutenant in Fort Polk, LA, and later Fort Belvoir, VA. On receiving his orders to report for shipment to the Korean War, Teddy leaped into his car for a non-stop 1,500 mile drive from Fort Belvoir, VA to Port Arthur, TX, to put a ring on Mary Jane’s finger before he left for Korea.
After Teddy’s return from Korea, they were married on June 4, 1955. In 1956, Mary Jane and Teddy moved to College Station with Teddy’s offer of a graduate position in pursuit of his Ph.D. in civil engineering and eventual research professorship. They made their lives in College Station as integral parts of the Aggie community.
Mary Jane never tired of learning and attended science classes at Texas A&M the first semester women were permitted to enroll. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in education at Texas A&M, and eventually became one of A&M Consolidated’s best known teachers of Algebra during the 1970s and 1980s. There she was an active sponsor of the "JETS", the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
Mary Jane was active in various community volunteer endeavors, most notably as a primary leader in the introduction of girl's sports to College Station, especially the formation of a girl's community softball league. She was also a leader in establishing the first Alpha Phi sorority house at Texas A&M University.
Mary Jane was also active in the A&M United Methodist Church throughout her residencies in College Station, joining officially at age eight. In addition to her faithful presence in her Sunday School class, she gave many volunteer hours through the church helping the wives of foreign students of TAMU. She even brought foreign students with her on family trips as far away as Colorado to help them know more about the United States.
After her retirement from teaching, Mary Jane became active in the City of College Station Historic Preservation Society. She was also among the first volunteers as a docent at the George Bush Presidential Library from before it opened in 1997, and served as a docent there for 10 years. Mary Jane and Teddy held TAMU season tickets and faithfully attended football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball games.
Mary Jane lived her life with sweet kindness, love and grace, her first thought always being those around her, from her family, to her high-school students, to the foreign student wives who were so far from their own families. She accepted everyone and appreciated their best qualities.
Mary’s favorite memories were centered around the Munson Family Reunion and long trips with many family and friends to snow ski and to enjoy Surfside Beach. Mary Jane and Teddy celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2015.
She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Jeffery Hirsch in 1985; and grandson, Kenneth Hirsch.
Survivors include her husband, Teddy; daughters, Mary K. Hirsch, of College Station, and Sarah Hirsch Thompson and husband, Steve, of Southlake; son, Teddy James Hirsch, Jr. and wife, Leatha, of Olney, TX; grandchildren: Madeline, Jeffery, Randall and Angela Hirsch, Colin, Meagan, Lauren and Ryan Thompson; brother, Thurmond Munson and her dearly-loved sister-in-law, Doris; and many of her extended family with whom she maintained close ties. B21
Family Members
Spouse
Children
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
