Mary Anderegg, a woman of quiet faith, loving kindness and humble service, left this life on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in the faithful arms of her heavenly Father. On the day of her death she had been surrounded by loving family and prayed over by her pastor and a church member. On that day of passing, she was assisted by the wonderful folks of Methodist Hill Country Hospice and some of the attentive caregivers at Windcrest Nursing Home.

Mary Emily Smith was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on July 16, 1927. She was the middle child and only daughter of Willie B. and Violet Brown Smith. Mary was named for her maternal grandmother. When she was in middle school, she moved to Fredericksburg, Texas, with her parents and brothers. She graduated from Fredericksburg High School in 1945.

On December 20, 1947, she married the Fredericksburg native, Dan Lorenz Anderegg, Jr. After a few short years of marriage, she and Dan settled in Crane, Texas, where he pursued his coaching and teaching career and where Mary would be the best of homemakers. Family was everything to her. Mary and Dan's three children: Sandra Kay, Ricky Dan, and Terri Lou were born and grew up in Crane. Mary and Dan lived in Crane until 1981 when they returned to Fredericksburg.

A devoted wife, mother, daughter and family member, Mary expressed her love through all the ways she served. Each Sunday morning she took her children to First Baptist Church of Crane, where she was secretary of her own Sunday School Class. Following church she would rush home to put Sunday dinner on the table before Dan had afternoon coaches' meetings. Mary was a wonderful cook (a talent she inherited from her mother) and always wanted to prepare something to Dan's liking, right up until the end of his life. She enjoyed trying out new recipes - especially desserts that were sometimes fun, sometimes pretty and always delicious.

Mary was a gifted seamstress, a skill she learned from her namesake. When finished with her household chores, she spent long hours at her sewing machine making clothes for her children, herself, her mother and eventually her granddaughters. She created beautiful pieces of stitchery - embroidered, knitted, or crocheted works of art.

When all of her children were in school, Mary added another job to her already busy schedule. She went to work at Crane Elementary School as an office clerk. She also found time to become a member of Beta Sigma Phi and take evening walks with friends through her neighborhood.

Upon return to Fredericksburg in 1981, she cared for her father, mother and husband until their deaths. In 1981 Mary joined First Baptist Church of Fredericksburg where she was an active member of the Christian Neighbors Sunday School, once again, serving as class secretary for many years. She joined the local Hospital Auxiliary to continue her life of service. She was a faithful volunteer there for 37 years and was deeply disappointed when age-related dementia forced her to quit her service.

After her work was done as a caregiver to her parents and Dan, Mary spent ten good years in her home - continuing her volunteer work, traveling to Hawaii with her family, attending Rock Box Theater as well as many local parades, raising little lambs, and spending as much time as possible with her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her two brothers: Andrew Johnson Smith and Willie B. Smith Jr. and her husband of 63 years. She is survived by her children Terri Anderegg, Rick (and Linda) Anderegg, and Sandy (and Charles) Burnside, six grandchildren: Mary Beth Burnside, John (and Lorissa Burnside), Emmy (and Freddy) Espericueta, and Tyler (and Nadia) Anderegg; and five great grandchildren: Elizabeth Burnside, Evan Burnside, Reese Espericueta, Reed Espericueta and Ian Anderegg. She also leaves behind fourteen nieces and nephews as well as a multitude of extended family.

Mary's last four years were lived out at Windcrest Nursing Home, which she entered 24 hours before the 2020 Covid Shutdown. The days at Windcrest were difficult, but interspersed with joy. Her first year there, daily visits by her daughter Terri and visits by out of town family were through the closed window of her Windcrest room; but they were good visits that always brought a smile to her face. Her last four birthdays and Christmases were joyful times when family came together to observe her birth in July and then the birth of Jesus the Christ in December.

Always quiet and reserved, the years at Windcrest offered opportunity for times of personal prayer with Windcrest Chaplain William and with her daughters, too. When asked by them how they might lead her in prayer, her consistent reply was: "Just thank God for all of my blessings." Each time her daughters ended a visit with her, she would join them in praying the mizpah that she and the Christian Neighbors Sunday School Class had always repeated at the end of meeting. She never forgot the prayer: "May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from another." We know that today the Lord does watch over Mary as He watches over us - just in different places.

The family wishes to extend their deep gratitude to Dr. Michael Johnson, Methodist Hill Country Hospice, and Windcrest Nursing Home. Memorial gifts can be made to First Baptist Church of Fredericksburg, Methodist Hill Country Hospice or a charity of your choice.