Our mother was born in Los Angeles, California five months after the U.S. entered the First World War. Her father, Robert Bruce Ball, was the Vice President of the Santa Fe railroad system, which provided the family with a private rail car and the ability for endless travel. The Grand Canyon in the 1930's was a glorious destination. Moving from California to Chicago in 1931, mother attended Evanston Township High School. Upon graduation in 1935, mother entered the University of Illinois 1935-1939, where she pledged Delta Gamma. Her sorority was an important piece of her life for over eighty years. In 1937, the Santa Fe transferred the family to Galveston, Texas where our mother met our father, Robert O. Biering. They married September 21, 1940 and celebrated fifty-four years of marriage before our father's passing in 1994.
Mother's life was filled with volunteerism, friends and children. She was a skilled host, avid bridge player and a wonderful cook. Mother was President of every organization that she joined. She was a member of the Houston Delta Gamma Alumni Chapter, Memorial Drive Garden Club, The Junior League of Houston Patron, the PEO Sisterhood, the AIA Architect Wives, the Memorial Assistance Ministries and the Hermann Hospital Volunteers. She evolved into an accomplished writer, and at the age of ninety-six published her first book, "Peanut Butter Pals".
Mother believed the need to live a good life, live in harmony with others, to do your best for God and our country and to serve Mankind. This is, she would say, the consuming job of a lifetime. "As the years have passed", she said, "I have come to realize that life is a wonderful thing." Her pearly words will remain with her family always. She was deeply loved.
She is survived by her daughters, Carol Ann Hendrix, Nancy Eileen Shomette, husband Stephen Charles Shomette, grandchildren Mark Robert Lehman, wife Paola Lehman, Ashley Biering Baxter Zickefoose, husband Jeffery Thomas Zickefoose, Susan Diane Savkov, husband Andrei Savkov, Allison Anne Fritz, husband Jason Blair Halladay and six great grandchildren Taylor Avery Lehman, Jackson Robert Lehman, Gabriela Eileen Lehman, Emma Paige Zickefoose, Baxter Thomas Zickefoose and Sloan Biering Zickefoose.
Thank you to the Hallmark, mother's home for twenty-two years, the Hallmark nursing staff, Edwin Gomez with Vantage Hospice, Dr. Theresa Vicroy and Dr. Nadim Nasir. A special thank you to The Reverend Stuart Bates, The Reverend Bob Wismer and the entire St. Francis Episcopal Church family for surrounding our mother with their spiritual love.
A service celebrating her life will be held Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 2:00 in the afternoon at St. Francis Episcopal Church 345 Piney Point Road. Following the church service a graveside blessing will be held at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery at 12800 Westheimer.
