MaeRene Ingram was born in Murphy Texas to Albert and Lena Mae Ingram on May 5, 1924. She was delivered by her grandfather, Dr. Dennis Miller. MaeRene went to Plano High School where she played forward on the women’s basketball team that went to state playoffs. MaeRene was named in the top five forwards in women’s basketball in the state of Texas. After graduation MaeRene attended the Draughn’s Business School in Dallas. She then got her first job at Southern Supply in Dallas where she was the secretary of the purchasing department. It was here she met James Garrick Dilts who was the assistant purchasing manager for Southern Supply at the time. Soon after MaeRene had begun working there James enlisted in World War II. After serving in the European theatre James returned to his position at Southern Supply where he quickly noticed MaeRene and they were married September 22, 1946 at the home of her parents in Murphy Texas. They made their first home together on Normandy Ave in Dallas Texas. In 1951 they relocated to Plano Texas and while there they welcomed James Russell Dilts and Rebecca Lea Dilts into their world. In 1961-1969 they relocated to Brownsville, Texas where MaeRene became President of the Brownsville Junior Service League and served in all leadership capacities in that organization. Her time was spent doing community service projects including organizing and staffing charity clinics for the low income of the Brownsville area. They were very active in the community and social life in the Valley. In 1969 they returned to Plano Texas where they resided for the remainder of their lives. MaeRene died within 10 miles of her birth place.
MaeRene enjoyed entertaining and spending time with good friends on a regular basis and was especially fond of bringing family and loved ones into her home on holidays and special occasions including many of the first families of Plano. Her family is descended from one of the first family of North Texas, William C Sachse of Sachse Texas. MaeRene was active in her church, United Methodist Church of Plano and served on many church committees as well as regularly attending the church for most of her lifetime. Her life purpose was her family and creating a warm and loving home. She cherished her time with her two children and especially the years that they had a second home on Lake Texoma where both her son’s family and her daughter’s family came together regularly over the weekends and holidays. Long hot summer days were filled with trips in the little red boat and building sand castles on the near-by island. The seven grandchildren grew very close as they were raised side by side with their cousins during this special time.
MaeRene’s grace and dignity are the pillars that she brought into the family she created and that will live on in her children and grandchildren, never to be forgotten. MaeRene is now reunited in death with her husband Jim Dilts, her beloved granddaughter Meredith Marie Dilts and her son-in-law Jeff Bales.
MaeRene is survived by her son, James Russell Dilts, his wife Julie McDonald Dilts and their children Emily Elaine Dilts, James Jordan Dilts, Audrey Anne Dilts and her husband Spencer Lee Johnson and Caroline Carson Dilts and great grandchildren Scarlett Marie Johnson and Rhett Lee Johnson. MaeRene is also survived by her daughter Rebecca Dilts Bales and her children Bradley Allen Bales and Kaitlyn Bales Cline, Kaitlyn’s husband William Cline and great grandchildren William Jeffrey (Liam) Cline, Hannah Elizabeth Cline, James Jeffrey Cline and Henry Chase Cline. MaeRene was the center of this family and the traditions and memories that she made for the family will be cherished and will live on forever.
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