Mary "Molly" Smith Shafer

Born in Washington, D. C. to Claire Daniel Maze and John Maze, as a small child, Molly moved to Temple, Texas to live with her mother and grandmother, demonstrated early on that she was bright and full of curiosity. She was an excellent student, graduating from Temple High School n 1958 as a member of the National Honor Society and as a National Merit Scholar. Molly briefly attended Lynwood College in St Louis, Missouri and later transferred to the University of Texas at Austin where she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Molly graduated with a bachelors degree with honors.

Molly served as the director of Special Services at Belton ISD from 1984 to 1988. She met and married Harry J. Shafer in 1988 in College Station where he was a professor of anthropology at Texas A&M University. Molly continued to serve as director of Special Services at College Station ISD until 2001 until she retired. She and Harry moved to the historic King William neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas in 2001 where they celebrated holidays with friends and family.

Among Mollys greatest joys in life other than her family and friends were the arts. She led the effort to create the King William Cultural Arts District, the first Texas Commission of the Arts Cultural Arts Districts in San Antonio. She also created the King William Cultural Arts Committee that installed numerous public art projects for the historic neighborhood. Molly enthusiastically supported the local arts community as a supporting member of the San Antonio Museum of Art and San Antonio Symphony.

Molly served as an inspiration and role model to her extensive network of friends who loved her dearly. Her compassion for helping others and her giving heart were well known in the San Antonio community. She helped to establish an identity program for the homeless with Travis Park United Methodist Church and later with Haven for Hope. Molly could always be relied upon to offer sage advice with an intelligent perspective those who sought her counsel and advice on their lifes journey. Mollys quiet ferociousness and determination in making her neighborhood better and inclusive for all is a lasting legacy. Her friends will miss her beautiful smile, bright eyes, her quiet words of wisdom, and her love and friendship. Molly made the world a better place.

Molly is survived by her husband Harry of 32 years, three children, Jennifer Craig, Amy Gully, and Chris Wilson and two stepchildren, Joe Shafer, and Julie McDonough. She is also survived by four grandchildren and four step grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents John Maze and Claire Daniel Maze, and her Poms Emmy and Oscar.

Charitable contributions can be made in her honor to the San Antonio Food Bank, her favorite charity.