Marilyn Lubbering, 1946-2023

Marilyn S. Lubbering died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on October 10, 2023 after receiving her last rites. Marilyn’s survivorship of the types of cancer she had was consistently remarkable. For eighteen years she conquered metastatic cancer along with the dedication of volunteers, staff, and doctors at Texas Oncology in San Antonio and elsewhere. Her doctors became like family to her notably Dr. Manuel Santiago, Dr. Bryan Lin and Dr. Jordon Jude among others.

Marilyn was first diagnosed with cancer in 2005 as an employee of USAA. Her co-workers and the management supported her through her treatments and gave her the time she needed to recover from chemotherapy and other treatments. Marilyn always got high marks on her employee evaluations.

Marilyn eventually retired from NEISD Headquarters and her friends, co-workers and management there were equally supportive when she needed time to recover from treatments. Marilyn loved her co-workers so retiring was difficult as it is for many who love their jobs.

The San Antonio community also remembers Marilyn as a manager at Heffernan’s School and Office Supply Company where she worked from the late 1970’s until 1995 when she began working at USAA. She served teachers and schools throughout San Antonio helping them acquire all they needed to teach and manage schools and offices.

Marilyn worked all through her cancer treatments and was an inspiration and compassionate listener to everyone she met with cancer. Marilyn loved the holidays and was always the first to decorate her desk and give out candy and other treats and little presents to her co-workers. She was kind according to her colleagues. Everyone went to her desk during hard times for comfort.

Marilyn is survived by her devoted children Paul Lubbering, Karl Lubbering and Julie Lubbering along with son-in-law Jesse Kanner. Marilyn cherished her time with her granddaughter Madeleine Ross McMahan along with her husband Sam McMahan. As a mom and grandma, she always had a great sense of humor and was sympathetic, caring and forgiving. Susanne Ross was a second daughter to her and William Hermelin was her longtime family friend.

Marilyn adored her grandson James Vaughn Lubbering and his fun-loving mother Malou Manges who preceded her in death in 2020. Marilyn is also preceded in death by her late husband Louis P. Lubbering who died of COVID in 2020, an art teacher at Incarnate Word High School. (http://www.lubbering.org)

Since early childhood, Marilyn always had close relationships with each of her three sisters — but for the last 18 years of Marilyn’s life, the bonds only grew stronger. They were all four unwavering in their support of one another and never wearied in caring for each other. Laughter seemed to be their best medicine. Marilyn’s sisters are Kathleen Pearce with husband Craig, Barbara Ann Pumphrey along with husband John and Peggy Schmoekel. Marilyn was born in 1946 and is the third child of Eugene Schmoekel and Mary Schmoekel who preceded her in death.

Marilyn is survived by her brothers-in-law Leonard Lubbering and wife Carol Lubbering, Gary Lubbering and wife Amy Lubbering, Steve Lubbering, and sister-in-law Carol Ann Denning and husband Paul Denning. Marilyn is also survived by numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and co-workers.

A funeral mass will be said on the 18th anniversary of her survivorship at Church of the Blessed Sacrament in San Antonio, TX at 10:30 am on Friday, November 24th. A reception at Blessed Sacrament will follow. The address is 600 Oblate Drive. Even when Marilyn could not physically attend mass she would watch it online with her computer at home.

Flowers are welcome but donations to St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital would have warmed Marilyn’s heart. Flower delivery is difficult the day after Thanksgiving but the church florist at Spring Garden Flower Shop on Brooklyn Avenue in San Antonio will make a delivery.

Marilyn will be interred at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, TX together with her late husband Louis. P. Lubbering, a Vietnam Veteran. Services are scheduled for Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Shelter Number 1.

The family wishes to thank the https://reddoorcommunity.org/ and https://cancersupportla.org/ for giving free family group cancer support counseling, a resource Marilyn’s family utilized for years.

“And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make” — The Beatles