Maxine Molberg Birkelbach
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Maxine Molberg Birkelbach of Fredericksburg died peacefully on Good Friday, April 15, 2022, at the age of 101.
She was born near the rural community of Iredell, Bosque County, Texas, on January 15, 1921, the eldest of Truman James and Eula Sursa Houston's six children. She married Henry (Heinie) Molberg, an immigrant from Germany to Texas with his family in 1898, on February 24, 1941, and he died October 18, 1989. Thereafter, she married Stanley Birkelbach on Oct. 20, 2001, and he survives her.
Although she completed no formal schooling, Maxine worked in retail sales and later ? after Henry was disabled in a construction accident near Kerrville ? became a well-known small business owner in Fredericksburg, most notably as the longtime proprietor of Mode O'Day Dress Shop on Main Street.
To be a full-fledged businesswoman or "free trader," as her types were called at the time, she had to go to state district court to have her "disabilities of coverture" removed, which prevented married women from owning property in their own names and transacting certain business. Judge Marvin Blackburn, Jr. signed the order granting her that right in August 1962. Upon learning of her death, longtime area lawyer Chris Wallendorf, who knew her for decades, said, "She was a wonderful person and accomplished much in Fredericksburg that no woman had ever attempted."
Maxine served as president of the Fredericksburg Zonta Club in 1995-96 and received the club's Woman of Achievement Award for 1999. She previously received the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce's Outstanding Chamber Woman Award in 1986. Maxine was president of the Hill Country Memorial Hospital Hospice Volunteers in 1998 and 1999, a group she helped organize.
She was a three-term member of the City of Fredericksburg Planning & Zoning Commission, an organizer and leader of the St. Mary's chapter of the Catholic Daughters, a president and vice president of the St. Mary's Parent-Teacher Club, and a leader and volunteer in various other civic and religious endeavors.
Maxine was also politically active. She served for many years as the chair of the Gillespie County Democratic Party and as an elected member of the State Democratic Executive Committee for the state senate district of which Gillespie County was then a part. During that time, she became the first member of the SDEC to serve concurrently with her son, Kenneth, who represented a senatorial district in the Dallas area. She served six years as vice-chair of the Texas Democratic Chairs Association.
She was an elected delegate to the 1984 and 1988 Democratic National Conventions on behalf of former Vice President Walter Mondale and Sen. Al Gore, respectively. In 1991, Gov. Ann Richards appointed Maxine to the Health Coordinating Council of Texas. She was often an active and vocal supporter of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Although her declining health prevented her further activities, she was exceptionally fond of now-President Joe Biden, whom she had met several times previously. Bob Slagle, former and longest-serving Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, said Saturday that Maxine was one of the greatest Democrats he had ever worked with in his more than six-decade career in politics.
In addition to her parents and first husband, Maxine was preceded in death by her five younger siblings: (William W. Houston, Virginia Houston Haynie, T.J. (Jack) Houston, Jr., Floyd F. Houston and Roy Joe Houston) and various aunts, uncles, in-laws, nieces and nephews.
She is survived by her husband, Stanley, her son, Fifth District Court of Appeals Justice Kenneth Molberg and his wife, Linda, of Dallas, and her two step-sons, Randy Birkelbach and wife Karen of Mico, and Ronny Birkelbach of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
She also is survived by grandchildren Collin (Carolyn) Molberg of Portland, Ore., Cameron Molberg of Austin, Rachel (Koda) Chovanetz of Houston, Travis Molberg of Houston, Kevin Birkelbach of San Antonio, Eric Birkelbach of San Antonio, and Christian Birkelbach of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; great-grandchildren Elliott Molberg, Oliver Molberg and Marion Chovanetz; one sister-in-law, Pansy
Houston of Hearne; and several nephews, nieces, and other relatives.
Maxine had a warm spot in her heart for those younger relatives who kept up with her throughout her many years, including Wesley and Mary Houston, Mike Houston, Don Houston, and Melissa Knopp Henke, and for her close friend of many years, Bonnie Burg.
A funeral service was held at Schaetter Funeral Home in Fredericksburg on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, with public visitation at 1 p.m., followed by a short service at 2 p.m., with Deacon Patrick Klein officiating. Interment followed at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.
Maxine's life was characterized by hard work, faith, participatory politics, and a determination to do things right and make things better. And she had an opinion-one forged on and tempered by considerable experience. She was born a few years following the end of World War I, just as the
1918 Flu pandemic ran its course. She drew her first breath as Woodrow Wilson was ending his second term as President, and Warren G. Harding was within weeks of being sworn in as his successor. She struggled through the Great Depression, World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis, cried and prayed when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, saw the Beatles come to America via the Ed Sullivan Show, viewed the civil rights movement of the 60s and the multiple
tragedies of 1968, watched the moon landing, became a part of our computer age, and weathered the Covid-19 pandemic ? a virus she contracted and conquered at the age of 100.
Throughout her life, she laughed, danced, and traveled. She loved her husbands, children, grandchildren, their children, all of her family, and her many friends.
If you are able, please remember Maxine by making a contribution to Hill Country Memorial Hospice, the St. Mary's School Endowment Fund, a charity of choice, or, if you are so inclined, the Gillespie County Democratic Party.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent at www.schaetter.com
Funeral arrangements under the direction of the Schaetter Funeral Home