Maria Tooley

Maria Tooley, age 84, of Austin, Texas and formerly 61 years in Boise City, Oklahoma, passed away February 8, 2013. Marie was born in Wurtzberg, Germany on May 28, 1928. Maria met Richard Lewis Tooley after WWII in Germany when he would come to ride horses at her father's horse stables. They married in 1947 and had their first child, Nell, in Germany. In 1948 they moved to America and settled in Boise City, Ok. Marie worked for the Boise City School District.

She was a very talented artist in oil painting and ceramics receiving the honor of prestigious artist of the year during this time. Maria was very humble and generous to a fault. One of the things she did every Christmas was fix large trays of goodies for the prisoners in the local jail stating "they have a mother too". The kids at the school cafeteria she worked at loved that she would slip them an extra roll especially when she seemed to always know those that didn't have enough food at home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Lewis Tooley; her son, Richard Phillip Tooley; and three sisters in Germany. She loved her little dog Spazzi who would consistently wake her up in the middle of the night when she stopped breathing with sleep apnea.

Marie came to live with her daughter Nell Lasley and Steven Bartow in Austin in 2008 due to her declining health. She was cared for by her loving family until her death.

Marie is survived by her daughter Nell Lasley of Austin, Texas; six grandchildren, Scott, Dubs, Nanette, Sunny, Jerry Paul and Richie; six great-grandchildren; her sister, Ann who lives in Germany as well as many other family members.

Rosary will be recited at 8:00 am Thursday February 14, 2013 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church followed by Funeral Mass at 10:30 am. Burial will follow in Boise City Cemetery all in Boise City, Oklahoma.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association at

American Diabetes Association

P.O. Box 11454

Alexandria, VA 22312

Or online at www.diabetes.org/donate

The family wishes to thank Dr. John Luker and the staff at Monte Siesta Nursing Home in Austin for their loving and compassionate care.