After 104 years of bringing kindness and happiness to those on Earth, Mamita departed this life and entered Heaven on December 27, 2009. Mamita was the great granddaughter of Ottmar von Behr, one of the original Latin Colonists and founders of Sisterdale, Texas in 1848, and the granddaughter of Fritz Fischer, the first school master in Comfort, Texas and a founder of the Boerne Village Band. Mamita was born to Ottmar Fischer and Ida Bauer Fischer in Sisterdale on October 21, 1905.
Mamita grew up with her six siblings in the Hill Country of Texas, first in Waring, then on a farm on the Guadalupe River near Center Point, in a home with no electricity or telephone. She and her brothers and sisters crossed the Guadalupe River in a boat to get to and from school in Center Point. It took two trips in the small boat to get all seven kids across the river, and she would readily recall the time when the boat capsized after all seven tried to make it in one trip because it was so cold. After completing high school in Center Point in 1924, Mamita moved to San Antonio where she worked briefly as a beauty operator, then joined Porter Loring Funeral Home at its original location across from Travis Park, where she worked for 23 years. At age 25, she was one of the first women to be licensed by the State of Texas as an Embalmer and Funeral Director.
While working at Porter Loring, Mamita met Harold Saunders, who would become her husband of 51 years until his death in 1981. Together they acquired Riebe Funeral home; when that property was absorbed by HemisFair '68, they built Riebe-Saunders Funeral Chapels on North St. Mary's. They had one daughter, Mary Ellen, who was their pride and joy. Mamita started working for the Federal Housing Administration after she learned how to type and how to drive a car at age 53.
She was a long-time member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and was active in civic activities, serving as President of the Pilot Club in the 1950s. Upon retiring in 1975, she traded her Corvair for a Mustang. An avid traveler, she toured Europe nine times, went white-water rafting on the Rio Grande in Big Bend at floodtide in her 80s, and slid down a salt mine in Austria in her 90s.
She took up oil painting in her mid 50's and became an accomplished artist. In 2003, at age 97, one of her paintings won 3rd Place in the statewide "Art is Ageless" contest and was displayed in the Rotunda of the State Capital in Austin for one month.
But by far, her greatest joy came from being with her family and her many friends. Her love for her daughter and son-in-law kept her anchored to Earth for more than a century. She was as much a part of her grandchildren's lives as were their parents, and she was "Mamita" not just to her own grandkids, but to all of their friends as well. Her great-grandchildren kept her young and were a great source of amusement and joy. For years, she kept every stick, rock, feather, and acorn they gave her. She will be greatly missed.
Mamita is survived by her daughter and son-in law, Mary Ellen and Frank Manitzas; four grandchildren: Pam Uhr, Debbie Trueman and husband Phillip, Steve Manitzas, and Tom Manitzas and wife Marsha; and six great-grandchildren: Marshall, Carson and Hunter Uhr; Tyler and Elliott Trueman; and Caitlin Manitzas.
Mamita grew up with her six siblings in the Hill Country of Texas, first in Waring, then on a farm on the Guadalupe River near Center Point, in a home with no electricity or telephone. She and her brothers and sisters crossed the Guadalupe River in a boat to get to and from school in Center Point. It took two trips in the small boat to get all seven kids across the river, and she would readily recall the time when the boat capsized after all seven tried to make it in one trip because it was so cold. After completing high school in Center Point in 1924, Mamita moved to San Antonio where she worked briefly as a beauty operator, then joined Porter Loring Funeral Home at its original location across from Travis Park, where she worked for 23 years. At age 25, she was one of the first women to be licensed by the State of Texas as an Embalmer and Funeral Director.
While working at Porter Loring, Mamita met Harold Saunders, who would become her husband of 51 years until his death in 1981. Together they acquired Riebe Funeral home; when that property was absorbed by HemisFair '68, they built Riebe-Saunders Funeral Chapels on North St. Mary's. They had one daughter, Mary Ellen, who was their pride and joy. Mamita started working for the Federal Housing Administration after she learned how to type and how to drive a car at age 53.
She was a long-time member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and was active in civic activities, serving as President of the Pilot Club in the 1950s. Upon retiring in 1975, she traded her Corvair for a Mustang. An avid traveler, she toured Europe nine times, went white-water rafting on the Rio Grande in Big Bend at floodtide in her 80s, and slid down a salt mine in Austria in her 90s.
She took up oil painting in her mid 50's and became an accomplished artist. In 2003, at age 97, one of her paintings won 3rd Place in the statewide "Art is Ageless" contest and was displayed in the Rotunda of the State Capital in Austin for one month.
But by far, her greatest joy came from being with her family and her many friends. Her love for her daughter and son-in-law kept her anchored to Earth for more than a century. She was as much a part of her grandchildren's lives as were their parents, and she was "Mamita" not just to her own grandkids, but to all of their friends as well. Her great-grandchildren kept her young and were a great source of amusement and joy. For years, she kept every stick, rock, feather, and acorn they gave her. She will be greatly missed.
Mamita is survived by her daughter and son-in law, Mary Ellen and Frank Manitzas; four grandchildren: Pam Uhr, Debbie Trueman and husband Phillip, Steve Manitzas, and Tom Manitzas and wife Marsha; and six great-grandchildren: Marshall, Carson and Hunter Uhr; Tyler and Elliott Trueman; and Caitlin Manitzas.
After 104 years of bringing kindness and happiness to those on Earth, Mamita departed this life and entered Heaven on December 27, 2009. Mamita was the great granddaughter of Ottmar von Behr, one of the original Latin Colonists and founders of Sisterdale, Texas in 1848, and the granddaughter of Fritz Fischer, the first school master in Comfort, Texas and a founder of the Boerne Village Band. Mamita was born to Ottmar Fischer and Ida Bauer Fischer in Sisterdale on October 21, 1905.
Mamita grew up with her six siblings in the Hill Country of Texas, first in Waring, then on a farm on the Guadalupe River near Center Point, in a home with no electricity or telephone. She and her brothers and sisters crossed the Guadalupe River in a boat to get to and from school in Center Point. It took two trips in the small boat to get all seven kids across the river, and she would readily recall the time when the boat capsized after all seven tried to make it in one trip because it was so cold. After completing high school in Center Point in 1924, Mamita moved to San Antonio where she worked briefly as a beauty operator, then joined Porter Loring Funeral Home at its original location across from Travis Park, where she worked for 23 years. At age 25, she was one of the first women to be licensed by the State of Texas as an Embalmer and Funeral Director.
While working at Porter Loring, Mamita met Harold Saunders, who would become her husband of 51 years until his death in 1981. Together they acquired Riebe Funeral home; when that property was absorbed by HemisFair '68, they built Riebe-Saunders Funeral Chapels on North St. Mary's. They had one daughter, Mary Ellen, who was their pride and joy. Mamita started working for the Federal Housing Administration after she learned how to type and how to drive a car at age 53.
She was a long-time member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and was active in civic activities, serving as President of the Pilot Club in the 1950s. Upon retiring in 1975, she traded her Corvair for a Mustang. An avid traveler, she toured Europe nine times, went white-water rafting on the Rio Grande in Big Bend at floodtide in her 80s, and slid down a salt mine in Austria in her 90s.
She took up oil painting in her mid 50's and became an accomplished artist. In 2003, at age 97, one of her paintings won 3rd Place in the statewide "Art is Ageless" contest and was displayed in the Rotunda of the State Capital in Austin for one month.
But by far, her greatest joy came from being with her family and her many friends. Her love for her daughter and son-in-law kept her anchored to Earth for more than a century. She was as much a part of her grandchildren's lives as were their parents, and she was "Mamita" not just to her own grandkids, but to all of their friends as well. Her great-grandchildren kept her young and were a great source of amusement and joy. For years, she kept every stick, rock, feather, and acorn they gave her. She will be greatly missed.
Mamita is survived by her daughter and son-in law, Mary Ellen and Frank Manitzas; four grandchildren: Pam Uhr, Debbie Trueman and husband Phillip, Steve Manitzas, and Tom Manitzas and wife Marsha; and six great-grandchildren: Marshall, Carson and Hunter Uhr; Tyler and Elliott Trueman; and Caitlin Manitzas.
Mamita grew up with her six siblings in the Hill Country of Texas, first in Waring, then on a farm on the Guadalupe River near Center Point, in a home with no electricity or telephone. She and her brothers and sisters crossed the Guadalupe River in a boat to get to and from school in Center Point. It took two trips in the small boat to get all seven kids across the river, and she would readily recall the time when the boat capsized after all seven tried to make it in one trip because it was so cold. After completing high school in Center Point in 1924, Mamita moved to San Antonio where she worked briefly as a beauty operator, then joined Porter Loring Funeral Home at its original location across from Travis Park, where she worked for 23 years. At age 25, she was one of the first women to be licensed by the State of Texas as an Embalmer and Funeral Director.
While working at Porter Loring, Mamita met Harold Saunders, who would become her husband of 51 years until his death in 1981. Together they acquired Riebe Funeral home; when that property was absorbed by HemisFair '68, they built Riebe-Saunders Funeral Chapels on North St. Mary's. They had one daughter, Mary Ellen, who was their pride and joy. Mamita started working for the Federal Housing Administration after she learned how to type and how to drive a car at age 53.
She was a long-time member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and was active in civic activities, serving as President of the Pilot Club in the 1950s. Upon retiring in 1975, she traded her Corvair for a Mustang. An avid traveler, she toured Europe nine times, went white-water rafting on the Rio Grande in Big Bend at floodtide in her 80s, and slid down a salt mine in Austria in her 90s.
She took up oil painting in her mid 50's and became an accomplished artist. In 2003, at age 97, one of her paintings won 3rd Place in the statewide "Art is Ageless" contest and was displayed in the Rotunda of the State Capital in Austin for one month.
But by far, her greatest joy came from being with her family and her many friends. Her love for her daughter and son-in-law kept her anchored to Earth for more than a century. She was as much a part of her grandchildren's lives as were their parents, and she was "Mamita" not just to her own grandkids, but to all of their friends as well. Her great-grandchildren kept her young and were a great source of amusement and joy. For years, she kept every stick, rock, feather, and acorn they gave her. She will be greatly missed.
Mamita is survived by her daughter and son-in law, Mary Ellen and Frank Manitzas; four grandchildren: Pam Uhr, Debbie Trueman and husband Phillip, Steve Manitzas, and Tom Manitzas and wife Marsha; and six great-grandchildren: Marshall, Carson and Hunter Uhr; Tyler and Elliott Trueman; and Caitlin Manitzas.
Family Members
Spouse
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
