Marjorie Nell Hey passed away in her sleep in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 5th, in her own bed, where she wanted to be. She was a lifelong resident of Mason County and lived the life we all know so well that revolved around being raised and in turn raising her family in an agrarian, rural community. Marjorie exhibited a great zest for life, a generous heart, and was a proud mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and left a legacy of a love of God, country, and music to her family, her church, and anyone with whom she came into contact.
Marjorie was born October 1, 1934, the second of Alvin and Irene Zesch's two children. She attended the Grossville country school, until the consolidation of Mason County schools, then attended Texas Lutheran College from 1951-53, and trained as a nurse at the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston where she received her RN degree. She and her husband, Max Hey, decided to move back to Mason after the birth of their first son in San Antonio to carry on the ranching heritage of their respective families and raise their succeeding children "in the country."
The "outpost of civilization" where they made their home on the James River was at the end of the bus run and telephone line, causing the female parent to adopt a more self-reliant posture. Family care required a high level of industriousness, such as milk pasteurization, gardening, canning, freezing, home butchering of domesticated rabbits, deer and Spanish goats, packing school lunches for her 4 kids for 12 years each with such delicacies as pickled tongue sandwiches. Among other things that moms of that era did was washing clothes and hanging it on a line, sewing, helping with homework, having the kids draw toothpicks to see which rooms would be cleaned by whom, and requiring help on other regular chores.
Birthdays and holidays were consistently and warmly celebrated, rabbit hunting and horseback riding expeditions organized, trips planned from "Sunday drives" to visiting the bat cave, to camping on Padre Island, to river rafting down the Rio Grande, to attending the Passion Play in Eureka Springs, to a long train ride from the Texas border to Mexico City and return bus trip incorporating the Aztec pyramids of the Sun and Moon, Guanajuato and other tourist destinations along the route. The appreciations and enjoyment of nature gained by hiking the draws after a rain, climbing the bluffs of the James River, swimming, fishing, and hunting and just taking in the countryside with all its vistas, flora, and fauna was a love she passed on both to her children and grandchildren. All of this she never failed to capture in photographs in which she is rarely seen due to being behind the camera.
Marjorie had a love for music and for Jesus which she coupled hand in hand. She played the organ for the St. Paul Lutheran Church, as well as other venues in town, and led the children's choir for years bringing the love of Jesus through her music to the community. Even as weak lungs may have softened her voice, the music remained strong in her heart. Along with her music, she also gave any way she could through the church and various Christian organizations to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. Marjorie now rests in the arms of the One who gave her strength throughout her life and especially as she weakened in her most recent years. Isaiah 40:31 says it best, "Yet those that wait on the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."
She is survived by a brother, Harvey Zesch; four children: Mark Hey, Matt Hey, Mary McAdams and Peter Hey; nine grandchildren: Chelsea Crawford, Caleb Hey, Naomi Hey, Jesse Hey, Gabriel Hey, Malachi Hey, Hannah Hey, Hunter McAdams and Kade McAdams; and one great grandchild, Blaire Elise Crawford.
On Friday, July 10th, there will be a 9:30 a.m, internment at the Gooch Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at the River of Life Church at 10:30