Ruth Marian Lane McDonald passed away on Saturday, May 26th, in the loving care of adoring family and her friends at Memory Care of New Braunfels. She was 91 years old. She was born in Wichita Falls, Texas on January 19, 1927 to Irene Ruth (Robinson) and Charles Frederick Lane, Sr.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Rev. Claude C. McDonald, Jr., a brother, Fred Lane, Jr. and a daughter, Jeannie Ruth Davis. She is survived by daughter Janis Guthrie of Fremont, CA; daughter Jodi McDonald and husband Billy of New Braunfels; son Bill Guthrie and wife Patricia of Pearland, TX; two stepsons, Michael McDonald (Barbara) of Waynesville, N.C. and Jeffrey McDonald and wife Nancy of Palmyra, VA. She is also survived by fifteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
Marian graduated from Wichita Falls High School and studied at Draughn’s Business College and Texas Women's University in Denton shortly after graduation. She stayed home raising her four children for several years, but in 1970 she earned her B.S. in Education degree from Midwestern State University, graduating cum laud. She taught history and social sciences at Rider High School in Wichita Falls for four years where she became Director of the History Department. She went on to earn her Master of Education in Counseling in 1973 and did some post-graduate work at the University of New Mexico. She served as guidance counselor and Director of Guidance at Santa Fe High School and at Santa Fe Alternative High School in New Mexico, and as counselor and director at Mayde Creek High School in Katy, Texas before retirement in 1991. She was a member of the Phi Delta Kappa educational fraternity, the New Mexico School Counselors Association, National Education Association, and a lifetime member of the Texas Parent Teacher Association.
After her retirement, she and her husband moved to Angel Fire, New Mexico where they helped establish the United Church of Angel Fire. In recognition of their work, the new fellowship established the annual McDonald Lecture Series, which continues to this day. In 1999, they moved back to Texas to be near family. They joined Unity of New Braunfels and again volunteered many hours of service to the church and community.
Marian was also known for her beautiful singing voice and her extraordinary dancing skills. She took ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance in childhood, and was accepted by the renowned Dallas Ballet program and was also asked to dance with the New York City Rockettes in her late teen years. She was often seen dancing and singing at Memory Care. She also wrote poetry and loved gardening and decorating.
The family would like to thank the compassionate staff of Memory Care of New Braunfels, home to Marian for the past year and a half. Additionally, the skill and care of all the Hope Hospice angels who stepped in to make the transition as easy as possible is so greatly appreciated.
A memorial service will be held in celebration of Marian's life at Unity of New Braunfels, 408 Gruene Road, on Saturday, June 2nd, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association, New Braunfels Hope Hospice or Unity of New Braunfels.
