Mary E. "Tina" Alderson passed from this earth on March 3, 2008 at the age of 83. She was born on Dec. 14, 1924 to J.E. and Lula Garbee in Springfield, Mo.
Tina was the youngest of four children, all of whom have preceded her in death.
In the mid-1940's Tina attended Drury College where she met M.H. "Sodie" Alderson. Following his service to our country in World War II, Sodie and Tina were married on July 19, 1947.
They were blessed with four children during their happy life together and worked together running a newspaper in Mount Vernon, Mo. They were very active in the local Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star Chapter, Rotary Club and PEO. After taking time off from her education and career to raise her family, Tina returned to school in the 1960's and completed her degree in Art in 1965 from Upper Iowa University where her husband was Director of Public Relations.
Work brought them to Seguin, Texas, in 1973, when Sodie became director of Public Relations at Texas Lutheran University. Tina worked at the Seguin Public Library, as well as the libraries at both Texas Lutheran University and Texas State University.
Her much loved husband, Sodie, preceded her in death in 1984.
In 1990, she retired from Texas State University. Tina remained active spending summers working at the YMCA of the Rockies, volunteering with many organizations and socializing with friends.
In 2000, Tina moved to Lockhart to be near her son. Most recently she has been a resident of the Personal Care Unit at Golden Age Home, where she remained an active member of that community.
She is survived by her daughter, Mary Lucinda Hansmeier and husband Dave of Decorah, Iowa; her son, James Alderson and wife Beverly of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; daughter, Ann Brown and husband Rev. Dr. Peter Brown of Charlotte, N.C.; son John Alderson and wife Sandra of Lockhart, Texas.
She was proud of her 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom will miss her greatly.
A memorial service will be held in Lockhart on Saturday, March 8, 2008, at 3 p.m. at the Chapel at the Personal Care Unit of Golden Age Home. Another memorial service will be held in Seguin this summer when all family members can attend. At that time, her ashes will be interred with her husband at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in San Antonio.