OBITUARY Mary Ellen KRUGER December 6, 1922 – October 16, 2018 Mary Ellen (Spafford) Kruger joined our Lord in Heaven on October 16, 2018 in Houston, Texas at the age of 95. Mary Ellen was born in LaCoste, Texas on December 6, 1922 and was the fourth of five children. She was preceded in death by her second husband Glynn Richard (Dick) Kruger in 2012, and her first husband John L. Spafford in 1982, as well as Cynthia Kruger Morris and Edward David Kruger.
Mary Ellen emerged from a challenging childhood in small town LaCoste including the early death of her father while she was just a toddler and the separation of her family and being raised by her grandmother. She was later reunited with her mother Mayme and her siblings and they all remained extremely close throughout their lives, with Mary Ellen being the last to pass. She was always a competitive sportswoman, enjoying being the tennis champion at Medina High School and continuing tennis and golf all her life at her beloved Lakeside Country Club where she played into her 80’s and had a hole in one at 67.
Her favorite days included her ladies’ tennis or golf matches followed by high stakes bridge all afternoon where she would proudly announce that she had won $1 for the day. Mary Ellen met her first husband John Spafford in San Antonio and followed him to St. Louis where they lived until moving to Houston in 1964. Following his death from cancer in 1982, she survived through her faith in God and the support of family and countless friends.
In 1990, she found happiness again and married Dick Kruger whom she dearly loved and cherished until his death in 2012. She remained a devout Catholic all her life as she and Dick were members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Mary Ellen regularly attended mass at St. Theresa Catholic Church and was a 25-year faithful servant of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women in Houston.
She is survived by her daughter Barbie Barbles and her children Richard Barbles and wife Kendell, Ryan Barbles and wife Casey and Jennifer Evans and husband Brady. She is also survived by her son John Spafford and his wife Robbin and their children Courtney Spafford, John Spafford, Jr., Molly McMurtry and Abby McMurtry, as well as Rick Kruger and wife Kerry, Steve Kruger and wife Muriel, Carroll Turpin and husband Scott, Mike Kruger and wife Diane, son-in-law Bill Morris and wife Shaun and daughter-in-law Kelley Kruger. She has five great-grandchildren and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren through her extended Kruger families.
Our family is so thankful and fortunate to have enjoyed our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother for such a long and wonderful life. Mary Ellen was an elegant lady who became instant friends with everyone she met and she enjoyed life to its fullest. A memorial mass in her honor will be held on Thursday, October 25 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church located at 1801 Sage Road with a reception following.
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