Maurine Jones Wadley Dyer

Maurine Jones Wadley Dyer passed from this life into eternal heavenly peace on Sunday, August 13, 2017 at Hendricks Hospice Center in Abilene, TX.   She and her twin, Gladine Jones Stirman, were born January 3, 1930 in Scott & White Hospital, Temple, Texas to their parents Willis Thomas Jones, Sr. and Lena Annie Jones. During the twin’s childhood, the family relocated to Goose Creek, Texas which later became incorporated into Baytown, Texas. During their senior year, Maurine and Gladine were voted as the Robert E. Lee High School Band Sweethearts. Their father worked in the accounting department at what was then Humble Oil Refinery and later became a minister in the Church of Christ and he wanted at least one of his children to attend Abilene Christian College. The twins were to be the ones to go despite their protests that they didn’t want to go to school with a bunch of “preacher boys”.   After high school graduation in 1948 they entered ACC as one set of twins out of seven in the illustrious class of 1952. Maurine met and began dating Abe Wadley, a World War II Navy vet attending ACC on the GI Bill. Abe excelled in Track and Baseball at ACC; one month after he graduated in 1950, the two were married. Gladine had married Fred Stirman, an ACC football player. The twin’s athletic coach husbands coached both with and against each other in Abilene in the early 50’s before Abe took a coaching job in Roby. He subsequently changed careers to pharmaceutical sales and the family was transferred to Kansas. Rebecca Louise was born in Baytown, Texas in 1951; Tommy was born in 1952 in Baytown. While in Kansas, Maurine gave birth to three sons whom Abe referred as “his little Jayhawks”: Jimmy in 1954, Mike in 1955, and Byron in 1956. Maurine was a busy homemaker and mom with 5 children under the age of 5 years. In 1958, the family moved to Midland where Abe died of renal failure in 1967. Maurine moved the family to Abilene in 1969 in order for her to complete her interrupted college education. In 1972, she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in education and began her teaching career in Columbus, Texas; after several years moving on to Barbers Hill ISD in Mont Belvieu, Texas during which time she also completed her Masters Degree in Education. She enjoyed these years living back amongst her Baytown family. Her sister, Genevieve Jones of Fredericksburg, Texas had introduced Maurine to her neighbors Larry and Maria Dyer; he was Captain of the “Inger”, a Reynolds Aluminum cargo ship.   After Maria died, Larry began courting Maurine. After living a very independent and successful life as a widow for 17 years, Maurine and Larry Dyer married in 1984 and she moved to live with him in the house he built atop a hill outside of Fredericksburg where they happily lived 30 years until his passing in 2014.   Maurine retired from teaching in 1984 and she joined Larry in numerous volunteer organizations in and around the Hill Country; she also became an avid quilter. During their years together Larry and Maurine traveled extensively together throughout the U.S. and Canada. Larry and Maurine were named the Outstanding Volunteers of the Year (1998) in Fredericksburg and were very well known, respected, and loved throughout the community. Maurine moved to Abilene in 2015 to be closer to 3 of her children (Becky, Tommy, and Jimmy) and their families, her twin (Gladine), and numerous grandchildren. She continued with her always cheerful attitude and easy smile, loved watching and talking baseball as well as talking about her large extended family. She passed from this life with all 5 children close at hand. She was greatly loved, greatly admired, and will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by 2 brothers who died as infants, 2 brothers who died as children, her husband R.L. (Abe) Wadley, both parents, her brothers: Colonel Donald Alva Jones and Dr. W.T. Jones, Jr., her sister: Genevieve Jones, and son-in-law, Earl Redman, Jr. She is survived by her identical twin, Gladine Stirman of Abilene; her brother, Milton Edward Jones of Round Rock; and her sister, Betty Lou Dutton of Baytown. She is also survived by her children: Rebecca Louise Redman (Abilene); Thomas Milton Wadley and wife Debra (Abilene); James Wesley Wadley,O.D. and wife Poette (Abilene); Michael Leroy Wadley and wife Kathy (Baytown; and Byron Richard Wadley, MD and wife Jane (Longview, TX). She is also survived by Larry’s two children; Christina Dyer and husband Ken (Austin) and Michael Dyer and wife Valerie (Kingwood). She is survived by 17 grandchildren, 30 greatgrandchildren, one great-great grandchild and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation with family will be at 3:30 pm Wednesday, August 16 at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St. Funeral service will be in the chapel at 5:30 pm immediately following the visitation. After the funeral service in Abilene, Maurine Jones Wadley Dyer will be laid to rest next to her husband Larry in Greenwood Cemetery in Fredericksburg, TX on Thursday August 17 at 11am.

Mother loved life, never backed away from a challenge, and never quit in the face of overwhelming circumstances. She was our mother, our hero, and our role model. She will be greatly missed but her memory and legacy live on through her family.