Maria Anna Ferrel (Mary Ann) left this earthly world on Saturday, November 6th, 2021, and went to be with her Lord and Savior (her one true love and the only man she ever needed). Her faith was undying and endless, and she was always sharing her love of Jesus with everyone.
Mary Ann was the daughter of Manuel and Dolores Ferrel, and the youngest of ten siblings. She leaves behind three sons, eight grandchildren, and an enormous hole in so many people’s hearts.
You always heard Mary Ann’s voice and laughter long before you ever saw her coming. She never met a stranger and never hesitated to jump right into a conversation with anyone who crossed her path. She could always be counted on to tell it like it is, and she never held back her opinion or advice. What Mary Ann lacked in height (she was only 4’10”), she made up for in gregariousness.
Mary Ann was always laughing, always praying, and always sharing herself with everyone around her. She always put others before herself, making sure everyone had been fed and dressed before she even sat down. She earned the nickname “the Chef” because she loved to cook, and she was immensely proud of how her grandchildren learned to cook her favorite recipes and roll freshly-made tortillas.
From a very young age Mary Ann adored dancing and music, especially Little Joe. She was always up for an adventure, whether it was sneaking out to go dancing with her cousins and nieces, or taking road trips to see new places. She also loved movies, even though she was always caught falling asleep in the middle of them!
Mary Ann always had to be busy. She was an extremely devoted and hard worker her entire life. In her early years she helped in the family restaurant in Wharton, and then on her family’s farm in Simonton, and continued on to clean houses, sell insurance, and care for both of her parents in their later years. In her last twenty years she translated at the University of Houston College of Optometry up until her passing.
In spite of how much she despised having to wear scrubs to work, Mary Ann loved her job at U of H. She treated everyone like family, and called her co-workers “my girls.” She was an incredible role model to them, and was always sharing her love of Jesus with them. She was a mom (MA) to them all.
Mary Ann loved coffee (with tons of cream and sugar), bargain hunting at resale shops, caring for her many plants, spoiling her dogs with so much affection and treats, and stopping to get Shipley’s Donuts after church. There was nothing that would stop her from helping others, not her sleep schedule, not her work schedule, not even her arthritis.
People like Mary Ann don’t walk in great numbers. She was vibrant and charismatic, opinionated and loud, loving and endlessly giving, and most importantly, completely devoted and secure in her relationship with God.
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