Mary Ann Stafford of Austin, TX, born September 16, 1950, passed on from this world on March 26th, 2025 at the age of 74. Originally from the small, rural town of Garland, NC, she never forgot her Southern heritage, and was proud to call herself a ‘South-Eastern North Carolina redneck’ all her life.
After graduating Vardell Hall High School, class of ‘68, Mary Ann studied at UNC Charlotte, NC and got her BS in nursing. She later moved to Austin, TX, where she met William Freeman in the UT Austin Scuba Club. They married in 1982 and had two children, Kristin and James Freeman.
Mary Ann retired early to focus on her children, her writing, and volunteer work. She was a long time member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, where she volunteered both in the church grounds landscaping assistance, as well as the church-sponsored ARCH Freeze Night Homeless Shelter, in the kitchen. She later also became a member of the Unitarian Wildflower Church. She also volunteered with her children’s schools and supported the Texas Democratic Party. In her spare time she wrote short stories in the southern gothic style as a member of the Writers League of Texas.
Mary Ann was an active member of her local community and made many good friends with her neighbors. She loved to read, and watched classic westerns. She became a cyclist and participated twice in the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride as a fundraiser for breast cancer detection. She was delighted when she became a grandmother to her son James and his wife’s Amber’s children, Rihanna and Elena.
She is survived by her sister Kaye E. Pouncey, her brothers, Bill Stafford and Benard Stafford, her children Kristin E. Freeman and James S. Freeman. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Edgar Stafford and Geneva Stafford (neé Hardin), and her older sister, June H. Stafford.
It was her wish to have her ashes scattered at Wrightsville Beach, Wilmington, NC, where she had many fond memories. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer a donation to one of the many causes she supported, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, the Austin Humane Society, Front Steps, Planned Parenthood of Texas, or the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride.