Mary Ann Carson, 81, peacefully passed away due to natural causes on July 7, 2021. Ann was born in Clear Creek Township, Keokuk, Iowa on August 22, 1939. She was the ninth kid out of fourteen and grew up with the life of a farmer’s daughter in small town America. She lived a busy life of hardships and adventures but was grounded by her faith in God and the love of her kids, Bobby, Wendy, Jay, Pat, and Teri.
In the late 1960s, after a short stretch in California and as a young mom with four kids in tow with one more on the way, Ann traveled all the way to Texas to embark on a new beginning in life. With a little help from her brother Le Roy, Ann was able to settle down in Corpus Christi while committing herself to provide the best for her kids and raise them right. She worked beyond belief, full-time during the day and seamstress jobs at night, just to make ends meet. After carving out a small life for her family and while working full time at Sherwin Alumina, she met her soon-to-be husband, John Carson. John helped provide a little bit more stability in her life while also doing his best to be the father that her kids had unfortunately lacked most of their young lives.
Ann was well known for her two passions in life, gardening and cooking. She thoroughly enjoyed tending to her vegetable and flower gardens and making some of the most delicious food ever, particularly her German chocolate cake that she gifted to her grandkids on their birthdays. Grandma always had a jar of candy waiting for grubby little hands and always seemed to have a fresh batch of cookies or sweets on the table. Ann spent most of her life working to care for her kids but during her retired life, she found a quiet respite in her beautiful home and could always be found sitting on her deck simply enjoying the moment. She built a small piece of heaven for herself and was always willing to share it with others. She now receives her wings and enters into the good Lord’s heavenly garden. Undoubtedly, Ann’s love for life and no non-sense attitude will be sorely missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by her son, Jay O’Brien; two daughters, Wendy (Danny) Wilson and Teri (Mike) Scarborough; as well as her sister, Betty Jean Hassle and brother, Ronald “Ron” Greiner; along with 15 grandkids and 41 great-grandkids. She is preceded in death by her parents, Michael Laborius and Irene Margeret Sieren Greiner; her eight brothers, Herbert, Keith, Edward, Le Roy, Laverne, Dennis, Mike, and Lawrence Greiner; her three sisters, Virginia Weber, Darlene Yates, and Kathleen Greiner; in addition to her husband, John Carson; and her sons, Robert “Bobby” O’Brien and Pat Neal O’Brien.
The services will begin at 11:30 AM on July 20, 2021 with public visitation at Memory Gardens Chapel in Corpus Christi. Then there will be a Holy Rosary at 1:30 PM at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church with Funeral Mass following at 2:00 PM. To conclude the services, the entombment will be at 3:00 PM at Memory Gardens Cemetery. All are invited to attend, masks are optional. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.
