Alma Mae Urbanek

Alma Mae Ashley Urbanek, 95, returned to her heavenly home on Sunday, May 24, 2020 after a valiant battle with a short time illness at the SPJST Rest Home in Taylor, Texas.  Her devotion to her family and her firm belief in God supported her in her struggle and ultimately gave her peace.

Alma was born to the late Thomas and Clara Mae Ashley, in Gause, Texas on August 28, 1924.  She was the eldest of three children.  She married the man of her life, Alex J. Urbanek on March 14, 1946 after he returned from serving in the Army Air Corps.  They were married in the St. Mary’s Rectory and enjoyed 60 years together before he passed in 2007.

They lived in Taylor most of their life and together they raised two sons which gave them two grandchildren, Stacey and Andy who meant the world to them.  The grandkids referred to them as Paw Paw and Granny.  Family was their life.  If they were not hosting reunions or family gatherings of some sort at their home, they were with their two grandchildren.  They looked forward to their weekends with them and so enjoyed teaching them how to dance to polka records and playing dominos at the card table.  Alex and Alma had a very close bond with their grandchildren and now the same with their great grandchildren.

If you knew Alma back then, she was either working in the yard or cooking a meal for her family.  After Alma’s husband passed, Alma started reuniting with friends in the community and eventually started going to the SPJST Hall on Friday nights for hamburgers, music, mingling with friends and dancing, aka, exercise.  She also had a special group of friends that she went out to eat with every Thursday; they picked a different place or town each time.  They made lots of memories.

She continued to work in her yard weekly.  Being in her 90’s at the time you would see her weekly on that riding lawnmower.  She still loved to work in the yard, whether it needed it or not.

Alma was a long-time member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters and the Altar Society.

She was preceded in death by her parents Thomas and Clara Ashley; husband, Alex Urbanek; sister, Bernice Barnett; brother, Floyd Ashley; son, Howard Urbanek, and grandson, Nathan Andrew Urbanek.

Alma is survived by her son, Ricky Urbanek and wife, Deborah of Taylor; granddaughters, Stacey Pasemann and husband Aaron of Thorndale and Kendra Brabandt and husband Shawn of Thrall, and grandson Chad Simpson and wife Farren of Granger.  Her great-grandchildren are Alex Kunze, Jaxon Kunze, Chance Pasemann, Cade Pasemann, and Kason Brabandt, along with a special niece and numerous special friends.

The family would like to thank the staff of the SPJST Rest Home for all their care and attention to Alma in the last three years and especially in the last three months.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Mary’s Catholic School Trust Fund or a charity of your choice.