Minnie Sunday

KerrvilleMinnie Mae Sunday, aged 95 passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, July 15, 2013 at her home in Kerrville, Texas. Mae was born on January 10, 1918 in Shelby, Texas to Alex and Mattie Voelkel. She graduated from high school in Fayetteville, Texas and from Texas Womans University in Denton in 19 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. After graduation she accepted a teaching job in Gainesville, Texas where she taught in the local junior and senior high schools and at the junior college.
It was in Gainesville where Mae met and married Captain James H. Kaden, a commanding officer in the U.S. Air Force. They had one son, Hayden J. Kaden who was born in 1942. James was killed in World War II in 1943.
In 1947 Mae met Carroll Rodney Sunday in Austin, Texas. They were married on June 1, 1947 in Austin. Rodney was a Presbyterian minister and they spent the first three years of their marriage in Homer, Louisiana where Rodney was the minister of First Presbyterian Church. Their son Randy was born in Homer in 1948. The family then moved to Houston, Texas where they lived for the next 20 years. Their son Tim was born in Houston in 1952. In 1956, the family spent a year in Cambridge, England while Rodney did postgraduate work in Theology at Westminster College, Cambridge University. That year abroad was one of the happiest times of Maes life.
While living in Houston, Mae worked as a substitute teacher. She taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir, served as the President of the T.W. U. National Alumni Association Chapter and was president of her garden club. She worked with underprivileged senior citizens and helped organize a day care center for AfricanAmerican children. She especially wanted to be remembered for having introduced Senator Barbara Jordan, Texas first black Congresswoman at a meeting attended by more than a 1,000 women in Houston.
Mae also took great pride in having been part of the first modern dance group organized at her college. That group still exists and performs worldwide. The or of the dance department chose Mae as one of three dance models for the stained glass dance window in the Little Chapel in the Woods at Texas Womans University.
Upon their retirement, Mae and Rodney moved to their home on the south fork of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas. Mae continued to live a full and active life in the Hill Country. She served in various capacities in the Hunt Garden Club, was a charter member of the Hill Country Youth Ranch Auxiliary and served as a member on the Board of Directors for 16 years. She was recognized for her outstanding volunteer service by the Hill Country Youth Ranch Board. She was a driving force behind fund raising for the H.C.Y.R. and brought in the first 10,000.00 check. No one could raise money like Mae Sunday. She drove all over Kerr County collecting donations and no one ever turned her down.
In 2010 Mae was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Rodney Sunday. She is survived by her sons and their families Hayden and Bonnie Kaden of Gustavus, Alaska Randy Sunday and Donna Sunday of Santa Barbara, California Tim Sunday and Mary Cook of Gustavus, Alaska her granddaughters Lucy Mae Sunday of Los Angeles, California and Sierra Kaden Jimenez, husband Carlos Jimenez and great grandsons, Hayden and Asher Jimenez of Haines, AK.
Maes greatest joy was her family. She also took great pleasure in her gardening and keeping their River house beautiful. She loved to dance and have fun and to make people laugh. In her later years Mae and Rodney loved driving to Hunt and eating at Elaines Table and seeing all of their friends and neighbors.
A Celebration of Life service for Mae will be held on Friday, July 19, 2013 at 5:00PM at the First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville, Texas with a reception to follow at the fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Hill Country Youth Ranch in Ingram, Texas or to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Family invites you to leave a message or memory at www.kerrvillefuneralhometx.com by selecting Obituaries. Select Sign Guestbook at the right top of the individual memorial.
Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Kerrville Funeral Home. 8308955111
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