Mary Ann Carman passed away on Aug. 13, 2008, in her new home in Floresville at the age of 67.

Mary Ann, a resident of San Marcos since 1978, was born on July 12, 1941 in Kerrville to Dr. William Earl and Virginia T. Gregg.

Growing up, Mary Ann enjoyed many things including tennis and playing the accordion and was a member of her high school band. Her real passion however was her enormous collection of insects and frogs.

In the summers she worked in Kerrville as an intern at the federal entomology research station. She helped do the research leading to the eradication of the screw worm fly.

In 1959 she enrolled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She wanted to be a physics major, but was told that only male students could major in physics. She earned a BA in psychology.

Subsequently, she earned a Master of Science degree in Special Education from East Texas State University in Commerce.

In San Marcos she taught elementary special education for 23 years. Most of those years were spent at Travis Elementary, where she earned kudos for helping create the “ropes” course. Also, she won a national award for developing a sales program that utilized her special education classes, and was honored by inclusion in the WHO'S WHO in American Education. She retired in 2000 in order to concentrate her attention on her daughter and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her father, Dr. William Earl Gregg and mother, Virginia T. Gregg of Kerrville.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 40 years, Dr. Gary Carman of San Marcos; daughter, Christi Carman-Moczygemba and husband, Rob, along with their children, Mason, McKenna, Nicholas and Arden of Floresville. She is also survived by her sister, Noel “Bunny” Matthews and husband, Bill of San Antonio, and by nieces, Pamela Matthews Schenk of San Antonio and Jennifer Matthews Elston of Houston, their husbands, Ronald and James, and great- nephews, Elliott and Jacob, and great- nieces, Mercedes and Isabel, respectively.

Mary Ann enjoyed crafts, crocheting, her two cats, puzzles, baking, kites, NASCAR, collecting stuffed animals, opera music, writing poetry and had always hoped to write children's books. She loved the San Antonio Spurs.

Mary Ann always said she still didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up, but really that decision was made when she became a wife, mother and “Grammy” for her family, which was her greatest achievement.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Special Olympics, or to Mastokids.org.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Aug. 16 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in San Marcos with interment in the Floresville City Cemetery in Floresville.

Funeral arrangements under the direction of Pennington Funeral Home, San Marcos, 353-4311.