Marilyn Kay Walker Qualls

Marilyn Kay Walker Qualls, 68, of Gonzales, went on her journey to Heaven Friday, Feb. 13, 2015. She was met by her parents, Guy and Margie Smith Walker, her brother Clyde Curtis Walker and her sister, Debra Ann Walker Thibodaux.

Marilyn was born on Oct. 15, 1946 in Luling to Guy and Margie Smith Walker. She lived on the Luling Foundation Farm as a young child and often shared the many warm memories of those years spent with her family and close friends.

Marilyn was a fifth generation Texan on both sides of her family and was a descendant of James George and William Dearduff, Alamo Defenders (The Immortal Thirty-Two) and Cornelius B. Smith (Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred). Her love of history led to numerous committees, boards and volunteer hours throughout the years such as the City of Gonzales Zoning Board, city beautification, Main Street, Gonzales County Historical Commission, Pioneer Village and the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce. She also played an integral role in the preservation of the JB Wells House.

During the first part of her illness, she spent numerous volunteer hours working diligently toward the preservation of the Gonzales Memorial Museum for future generations. She was a member of the Thomas Shelton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution; the Gonzales Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, serving as Vice President for a number of years; the Alamo Defenders Descendants Association and the Holy Cross Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Marilyn began her career working in the field of education at Edwards High School in Gonzales. She left the world of education to work in the business world for many years. The last 12 years of her career she found happiness by returning to Gonzales ISD as the librarian at East Avenue Primary. Her goal was to help develop the library as well as a love for reading in children. She always said, “What a blessed way to end my career…to be given the gift of helping children and doing a job that really made a difference.”

Throughout the years, she was part owner in several antique stores and pursued this hobby with a friend by liquidating estates. She was also an avid reader and genealogist.

Her greatest legacy is that of being an amazing mother and grandmother. She made sure her children and grandchildren were given deep roots, strong wings and rock solid faith. She taught them the importance of sharing your God-given talents and helping those in need. She taught them strength, resilience, independence, tolerance and acceptance, but most importantly, she taught them how to love unconditionally. Patience, kindness, encouragement and pure love were in her recipe for raising Neely and Mitchell and she used that same recipe with her grandchildren. She was their number one fan in everything they did. All of her teaching was taught by example. She truly was pure goodness and it showed in everything she did.

To her grandchildren Reid, Jake, Gia and Jett, she was the world. She was their “Ba” and she loved them wholeheartedly. Staying with Ba and Zo-Zo was something they looked forward to. Their house was a sanctuary and the ordinary rules of home did not exist! Their many adventures with Ba will be something they will all remember and cherish for a lifetime. She will always remain “on their shoulders and in their hearts.”

She had a way of making each day special and finding the good in each and every person she met. She gave of herself and always put others needs ahead of her own. She lived her life by example and was a true inspiration to others. She made the world a better place just by being in it. If you had the opportunity to know her, you were truly blessed.

She is survived by her loving husband and caregiver, Joe Qualls, Jr.; children, Mark and Neely Yackel of Shiner, Mitchell and Celeste Friedrich of New Braunfels and her precious grandchildren, Reid and Jake Yackel and Gia and Jett Friedrich, all of whom walked this journey beside her. She is also survived by her brothers, Ricky and Randy Walker and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 in the First United Methodist Church in Gonzales.

A celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Gonzales with Pastor Andy Smith officiating. A private family burial will take place at the Denton Creek Cemetery in Gonzales. Pallbearers will be Joe Qualls, Mitchell Friedrich, Mark Yackel, Reid Yackel, Jake Yackel and Ricky Walker. Funeral services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Capital Campaign Fund of the First United Methodist Church of Gonzales at 426 St. Paul St. Gonzales, Texas 78629 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, Tenn. 38105.