Mary Jane (Hendricks) Sardo
Her life and legacy will be celebrated on Monday, January 20, 2025, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with a recitation of the Holy Rosary at 11:00 a.m., followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 11:30 a.m. Graveside service will take place at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mary Jane (Hendricks) Sardo, age 82, was surrounded by her loving friends and family when she died on December 31, 2024, after a long illness.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband of almost 59 years, John Robert Sardo; her parents Noah and Rena (Johnson) Hendricks; her infant son Frank Anthony Sardo; her son-in-law Robert Lee Jackson, and her brother John Beverly Hendricks of Houston.
Mary is survived by her beloved children Teresa Corser, Rena Buley and her husband Mark, Eleanor Maxwell and her husband Greg, Ginger Jackson, and Michael Sardo and his wife Shannan (Beasley); thirteen grandchildren: Ben Corser, Jon Corser, Sarah Corser and her fiancé Trevor Burkhalter, Michael Corser, Stephen Buley and his wife Heidi (Keck), Thomas Buley and his wife Mikaela (Nichols), Catherine Buley, Clayton Maxwell and his wife Jessica (Dykes), Christie Maxwell and her fiancé Jake Calohan, Cameron Jackson and his wife Alexandra Stampher, Francesca (Jackson) Weiher and her husband Austin, Samantha Sardo, and John Sardo; three great granddaughters, Evelyn and Emilia (daughters of Stephen and Heidi), and Cecilia (daughter of Thomas and Mikaela); her sisters Martha Stroman and her husband Glen of Port Aransas; Suzanne Mazzola of Sulphur, LA; and Sara Hendricks of Victoria; and her sisters-in-law, Patricia (Sardo) Miller and her husband Merlin, Teresa Sardo, and Pasty Hendricks of Houston.
Mary was delivered by her paternal grandmother on a snowy afternoon, March 7, 1942, on her family’s farm in Douglassville, TX. She had fond memories of growing up on a farm, collecting eggs and milking cows each morning, harvesting and canning fruits and vegetables, and playing with her siblings and cousins.
After graduating from Dominican Catholic High School in Galveston, TX, Mary earned a degree in home economics from The University of Texas in Austin where she met the love of her life, John Sardo. After marrying John, she taught at St. Paul’s Catholic School before staying home to raise their children. As a stay-at-home mom, she volunteered extensively as a religious education teacher at both St. Matthew and St. Brigid Catholic Churches, in the PTA at her children’s schools, including serving as PTA president, as well as with the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and with the neighborhood swim team each summer. After her youngest daughter started first grade, Mary became a much sought after substitute teacher at Locke Hill Elementary School until the birth of her son, Michael. Once Michael turned 3 years old, Mary began a 27-year career as a preschool teacher at University United Methodist Church Pre-School where she taught 3-year-olds with the patience of a saint. She was especially fond of nurturing her students’ imagination and creativity and studied the benefits of art on brain development. She retired in 1999 to care for her parents.
A devout Catholic, she rarely missed Sunday Mass and participated in Bible studies until just a few weeks before her death. She served on the parish council at St. Matthew Catholic Church and was instrumental in starting the Women’s Council and Children’s Church at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Together with her husband, she volunteered with St. Francis of Assisi Mobile Loaves and Fishes program for many years and dearly loved her SCC (Small Christian Community).
Mary was a skilled seamstress, sewing much of her own clothing, including her wedding gown, her sisters’ wedding gowns, much of her daughters’ clothing when they were young, as well as numerous prom and bridesmaids’ dresses. As a talented artist, she fashioned lovely artwork by pressing wildflowers from the Bandera property, drew portraits of each of her 13 grandchildren, and enjoyed cross-stitching and watercolor painting until arthritis took its toll on her hands. Mary painstakingly cared for her beautifully landscaped yard, cultivating most of it from transplants and clippings. She was an excellent cook, teaching her children that a balanced meal should be colorful, baking and decorating countless cakes for birthdays and other celebrations, and effortlessly hosting friends and family for casual get-togethers as well as more formal dinners. Like her husband, John, she was never one to waste and became known for her ability to creatively transform unused or forgotten items into something new and beautiful.
Mary had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a wide variety of interests. She was an avid reader, a dedicated Jeopardy fan, and a formidable opponent in a game of Scrabble. She loved to watch both college and professional basketball and football, but her favorite teams were the Texas Longhorns, the San Antonio Spurs, and in recent years, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mary was kind, thoughtful, and generous, her home always open to friends and family, and a favorite hangout for the neighborhood kids. Many of her students remained in contact with her well into their adulthood. Her children jokingly referred to her as the Homecoming Queen at her independent living facility, Villa De San Antonio, where she waved to and greeted everyone by name as she made her way to an activity or to the dining room. Mary will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Her final wish was to walk again, and we imagine that she is dancing with Jesus now, watching over her beloved family and friends, ready to greet them at the gates of heaven.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Mary’s eldest daughter, Terry, her primary caregiver, and the team at Beyond Faith Home Healthcare for their compassionate care and support during Mary’s final months; and special thanks to the residents and staff at Villa de San Antonio for their love and kindness while Mary lived there.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the St Francis of Assisi’s Catholic Church Mobile Loaves & Fishes Ministry at https://sfamlf.org/