Shirley Mueller

On Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, Shirley Ann Fuchs Mueller was called home by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be with Him on His special day.

Shirley was born on December 16, 1935, in Carmine, Texas to Otto L Fuchs, Sr. and Elsie Hartstack Fuchs. Through baptism, she became a child of God on April 5, 1936 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Carmine, Texas with Pastor Brunotte performing the sacrament. She confirmed her Lutheran faith at the same church on October 2, 1949 with Pastor A. T. Kluge. Her grade school and high school education at Round Top – Carmine ISD culminated with her being the valedictorian of her 1954 graduating class.  After high school, she attended and graduated Blinn College in Brenham as the salutatorian of her class. At Blinn, she was president of the Lutheran Students Association, student council representative, and reporter for Phi Theta Kappa. Shirley enjoyed Brenham and her first job was a bookkeeper at Tiemann Brothers’ Tractor Company. She later joined Brenham Wholesale Grocery in their accounting department.  After the birth of her first daughter in 1962, she decided to be a full-time Mom.

On July 19, 1958, with A.M. Hannemann officiating, she married the love of her life, Johnnie Dewayne (J.D.) Mueller, in the same church as her baptism and confirmation.  Two daughters were born to this union, Renee Ann and Jill Rachelle.  J. D. and Shirley enjoyed 51 years of married life, until J.D.’s unexpected passing on May 20, 2009.  Every day, since that day, she missed his love and smile for her.  Now they are reunited.

Shirley was fun, loving and selfless.  She enjoyed being with people and she always made the best of every situation.  Shirley was a devoted Christian her entire life.   In her younger years, this was exemplified by her many roles of service at Martin Luther Lutheran Church where she was a life-long member. Shirley used her God-given talent for music by playing the organ for Sunday and other church services for over 30 years.  In addition, to being the organist, Shirley also kept her mother’s tradition of the MLLC Church Choir running strong for many years as the director/accompanist.  Shirley also procured a gift of tone chimes and started the tone chime choir which played for many years for church services as another music ministry.  In addition to serving her Lord through music, she was also very active as a Sunday school teacher, Ladies Aid president and member and a member of other church committees. In her later years, when she could not attend church services, she continued to read her devotions and prayers daily and shared God’s great message with others through her words and actions.

As her two daughters were growing up, she was active and supportive in their lives by being a Girl Scout leader for Troop 492 for 10 years, attending basketball and softball games and tennis matches and volunteering at their schools.  Just as she was an active supporter of her daughters, she was also a very loving and active grandparent to her two grandsons.  She and J.D. would not think twice to drive to Houston, to watch a baseball or basketball game or any school event in which her two grandsons were participating. She was also involved with the local March of Dimes, the mentoring program at Brenham Elementary, Washington County Genealogy Society, Sandtown Wildlife Association and assisted her husband with the Brenham National Guard Reunion Committee. Shirley had the foresight to form the Sandtown Cemetery Association to care for the graves on her property in Sandtown, Texas.

Her hobbies included stained glass, sewing, embroidery, cross-stitch, and almost any type of craft.   In her early years, she spent many hours sewing clothes for herself, her daughters and numerous Maifest costumes.  Later in life, she enjoyed crocheting, reading, and doing word puzzles.  Shirley always possessed a sense of adventure and she loved to try new things.  When the home computer became popular, she was self-taught and learned to master numerous computer programs.  Her sense of adventure was also evident in her love for travel.  She and J.D. enjoyed many road trips as a young family and cruises and tours in their elder years.  One love of Shirley’s that continued throughout her life was her love of board games, cards and dominoes.  She was always up for a competitive game of 42 with her grandsons and family.  Many of Shirley’s attributes have been passed down to her daughters, but none is more evident than her love for animals.  Throughout her life, she always had a family pet, especially dogs and cats.  When she no longer could care for animals herself, she enjoyed watching the hummingbirds and cardinals on the bird feeders at her home.  She shared her love of animals beyond her immediate family by giving live ducks and colored chicks at Easter—and for this she will always be fondly remembered by her nieces.

Leaving to mourn Shirley are her daughters and son-in-law, Renee Ann Mueller and Jill and Rodney Finke; grandsons, Grant Finke and Ryan Finke and fiancé, Sidne Drewry; sister, Dellora Manske; brother, Otto L. Fuchs, Jr.; sister-in-law, Joyce Fuchs; brother-in-law, Alvis Mueller and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Avalda and J.C. Pohl, plus numerous nieces, nephews and friends.  Proceeding her in death, was her husband, parents, parents-in-law, John and Ida Mueller, brother, Howard Fuchs, brother-in-law, Edison Manske and sister-in-law, Carolyn Fuchs.

The family is extremely grateful and would like to thank all of her caregivers throughout her later years of life, especially Linda Engelke, Donna Gaines, Bertha Milam and Mae Jo Williams for their care, friendship and love.  In the same way she loved her children and grandchildren, she loved her caregivers equally and appreciated each person’s unique talent.  In addition, the family would like to thank Dr. William Loesch, Laura Pugh, FNP-C and Rachel Novosad, RN for their exemplary medical care and guidance for Shirley.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Ryan and Grant Finke, and nephews Roy Wied, Bruce Bockhorn, Jody Pohl, Trent Teinert and Mark Kuecker.

If so inclined, memorials honoring Shirley are suggested to the music/carillon fund at Martin Luther Lutheran Church at P.O. Box 362, Carmine, Texas 78932-0362.