Mary Ann Ringwald Taylor

Mary Ann Ringwald Taylor 1952-2025

Mary Ann Ringwald Taylor was born Monday, February 18, 1952, at the Carswell Air Force Base hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. Her parents were Betty (Van Buskirk) and Dale Ringwald. She was delivered by Dr. Missimmon. Mary Ann passed from this life at 2:59 pm, August 29, 2025, at the Corpus Christi Medical Center Doctors Regional in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was 73.

Mary Ann and her older brother Gary grew up in an Air Force family. Dale Ringwald, a WWII navigator and career officer who retired a Lt. Colonel, was stationed at bases throughout the country, and they lived in Fort Worth and El Paso, Texas; Montgomery, Alabama; Altus, Oklahoma; the Canal Zone in Panama; and Alexandria, Virginia. Betty Ringwald was a piano teacher, and Mary Ann grew up learning music theory and surrounded by music.

Her junior high time living in the Panama Canal Zone was a highlight of her life because it was there she first had horses—mixed domestic breed Panamanian bush ponies—Conqui, Joy, and her beloved Pepper. She participated in jumping, barrel racing, and pole bending with the Albrook Riding Club. She told many stories about life around the stables and jungle. It was in Panama, waiting for the bus to school, when she first heard the Beatles playing on a transistor radio. She later attended the Beatles concert at DC Stadium on August 15, 1966.

She graduated in 1970 from Fort Hunt High School in Alexandria, Virginia. She was a majorette with the Fort Hunt Federals Marching Band. She continued to twirl and throw her baton for family throughout her life, especially around Independence Day. She loved Souza marches.

Mary Ann moved to Stillwater to be closer to her grandmothers and to earn her B.A. in Early Childhood Education at Oklahoma State University. She belonged to the Delta Zeta sorority. It was in Stillwater, on a blind date, when she met her husband-to-be, geology student Dennis A. Taylor. She always said she knew he was “the one” that night because he was so interesting. Their second big date was a cave exploration trip led by Dennis to Twin Caves in North East Oklahoma with close college friends. They were married on May 20,1973 at the Bennett Chapel in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Together they went on many adventures—camping and caving and climbing the highest dune at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 14-thousand-foot mountains in Colorado like Uncompahgre, Elbert, Antero, Princeton, and Pike's Peak.

After college, Mary Ann and Dennis both got public school teaching jobs and moved to Okeene, Oklahoma. Mary Ann taught kindergarten and fifth grade. Both of their children were born in Okeene. When they moved back to Stillwater so that Dennis could get his master’s degree, Mary Ann taught Rhythmic Aerobics and sold Shaklee products.

Next, Dennis became a petroleum geologist and the family moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Mary Ann taught kindergarten at Cornerstone Christian School. Her son, Chris, was her student for one year. She was very involved with her church family at Rhema Fellowship Church. When the family moved to Kingwood, Texas. Mary Ann sang in the Praise & Worship team at Kingwood Faith Fellowship. When the family moved to Plano, Texas, Mary Ann found her church family at Grace Outreach Center. When they moved to Hudson Oaks, Texas, they belonged to New River Fellowship. It was in Hudson Oaks when Mary Ann finally had horses again, first with her Peruvian Paso mare, Alexis, and then with Alexis’s foal, Viento.

As empty-nesters, Mary Ann and Dennis relocated to South Texas and bought a beautiful property near the Nueces River in Robstown with a swimming pool and barn. Another horse, Princess, came with the home.

In 2006, Mary Ann was diagnosed with stage four cancer. A tumor near the top of her stomach was blocking her esophagus and she was given a 5% chance of survival. She received treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and after reconstructive surgery to remove her stomach and create a new one with part of her intestine, chemotherapy, and radiation, she was able to recover. Fifteen years later in 2021, she was declared cancer-free. She lived many years of retirement, saw her grandchildren born, and spent cherished time with her church family at Church of Hope.

Mary Ann loved all of her dogs—two long-haired dachshunds growing up, both named Muffin; a fluffy black mutt named Toby; two golden retrievers, Dakota and Storm; and a blue heeler mix named Patty. Her cats were B.K., Dusty, Rocky, La Brisa, Stripe, Thunder, and she had a special bond with Sunshine.

Mary Ann loved going to the beach, and her favorite was Malaquite at Padre Island National Seashore. In addition to playing piano and singing, Mary Ann also loved to draw and paint in oils and watercolors. She took informal art classes and learned technique from watching Bob Ross. She loved the musicals Oklahoma! and Fiddler on the Roof. She enjoyed watching reruns of her favorite sitcoms—Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dyke, I Love Lucy, Leave It To Beaver, and Mary Tyler Moore. She rarely missed Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. She had an excellent memory and could remember every address, phone number, and which teacher she had in which grade growing up. She was still swimming in her pool and feeding her horses up until her last week with us. Her family was present, comforting her in love as she passed quietly.

Mary Ann Taylor is survived by her adoring husband Dennis of Corpus Christi, TX; daughter Luna Taylor and her partner West Kennerly of San Diego, CA; son and daughter-in-law Chris and Lisa Taylor, granddaughter Makena and grandson Luke of Las Cruces, NM; three aunts, Val Sims of Stillwater, OK, Glenna Van Buskirk of Ripley, OK, and Evelyn Van Buskirk of Fort Lupton, CO; an uncle, Garland Terrel of Marble Falls, TX; brother-in-law Richard Taylor and family of Devine, TX; and many cousins and lifelong friends. Special thanks to Tyra and Daniel Montemayor for their friendship and kindness.

Mary Ann Ringwald Taylor’s celebration of life will be Monday, November 10th, 1:00 PM, at Church of Hope, 13024 Leopard Street, Calallen, Texas 78410.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Affordable Cremations by Winsteads'. (361) 655-5552 www.corpuscremations.com