Marian Mundy Strange Cheatham

She was born to Robert Ferdinand Strange and Blanche Heitmann Strange on the 4th of August 1945, in Glen Cove, Long Island, while her father was stationed in the U.S. Air Force working on the Manhattan Project.

She grew up on the beautiful, tree-lined streets of River Oaks, attending Kinkaid School and ultimately graduating from Lamar High School in 1963. She went to Trinity University in San Antonio, majoring in elementary education and art history. She was a Duchess in Fiesta San Antonio.

After graduation, she returned to Houston to work as a teacher at River Oaks Elementary School. Soon after, she met Donald Thomas Cheatham on a blind date. They married and moved to Old Town Alexandria, where they bought a four-story, 18th-century townhouse sight unseen from the classifieds.

In 1975, they welcomed their first daughter, Marian Mundy, and three years later, twin girls, Genevieve Gratiot and Elizabeth Palmer.

In 1981, she moved with her daughters to Brenham, Texas, to reside on her parents’ ranch, Gay Hill Farm. She began teaching second grade at First Baptist School, where her girls attended. She was known for her effervescent teaching style, sometimes dressing in costume. She later taught preschool at St. Paul’s Christian Day School before retiring in 1996.

She was active in the Brenham community and at her beloved Brenham Presbyterian Church, where she, her father, and her girls attended church every Sunday, seated in their favorite little pew in front of the choir. Some days, to her daughters’ delight, she would join the chorus, and her angelic voice could be heard reverberating off the ogival arches of the 19th-century sanctuary.

A fervent lover of the arts, she reveled in her time as a docent at Bayou Bend. She could recount details of the Old Masters and often played classical music for her girls.

In June 1996, after sending her twins to college, she moved from Brenham to Houston, where she quickly reconnected with old friends and reestablished roots by joining the River Oaks Garden Club, River Oaks Luncheon Club, and Tanglewood Garden Club. She was a former member of the Houston Junior League.

She found much joy in her close friendships, both new and old, maintaining connections across the country and cherishing her local birthday group.

With a reverent faith and delicate eloquence, she devoted most of her life to writing Gospel. Each holiday, she created themes, complete with table décor, self-written devotionals, and a thoughtful gift for every guest. She longed to write children’s books. In 2020, she fulfilled her dream by printing a book of her favorite writings, illustrated by her talented granddaughter, Madeline.

She loved her family and was immensely blessed with seven grandchildren. Her daughters wish for Marian to be remembered for her benevolence, her warmth, and her openness to everyone she met. She was a bright and shining light who made an indelible mark on those lucky enough to know her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Ferdinand Strange and Blanche Wood Heitmann Strange; her beloved older brother, Frederick Heitman Strange; and her paternal uncle, John Mundy Strange.

She leaves behind her devoted daughters, Marian Mundy Hooper, her husband, Andrew Hooper, and their children, Meg Morgan, Noah Thomas, and Madeline Ray; Genevieve Cheatham Wheeler, her husband, Benjamin Wheeler, and their children, Isabelle Kinsey, and Benjamin Theodore; and Elizabeth Palmer Cheatham, and her sons, Miles Frederick, and August Andrew Joos.

She is also survived by her brother, Robert F. Strange, Jr., his wife, Lana Strange, and their daughter, Lauren Strange Hutson, her husband, William Hutson, and their children, William Maine, and Dylan Marie; her cousin, Mark Strange, his wife, Kim Strange, and their children, Elizabeth Strange Keros, her husband, George Keros, and Mason Strange, his wife, Callie Strange; and her beloved caregiver, Alicia Cortez.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from three o’clock until five o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 29th of March, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service and celebration of her life is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Monday, the 30th of March, in the chapel of Chapelwood United Methodist Church, 11140 Greenbay Street in Houston. In honor of her favorite color all are encouraged to wear the color pink as you wish.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the nearby Parlor.

The family will gather for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family request with gratitude that donations be made to the Chapelwood United Methodist Church Foundation.

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