Mary Suffling- Keener, of La Port, Texas, passed away on October 17, 2024 in League City, Texas.

Mary was born on September 1, 1961 to Richard Armstrong Suffling and Billie Joye Legg Suffling in Bay City, Texas.

Mary was devoted to family and friends. She showed her love with the care and devotion to caring for her mother during her final years. She shared a close bond with her brother, Bill and even with her busy schedule, she made sure they spent quality time together and had fun. Mary considered her many friends as her extended family and was extremely loyal and always there for them.

Besides getting together with family and friends, Mary enjoyed working for “Triple-A” where she was employed for more than 20 years and was well liked and well-regarded by the many friends and coworkers she worked with there. She enjoyed watching “The Hallmark Channel,” was an avid football and baseball fan and
rooted for her beloved Astros and Houston Texans. She loved to go antiquing and collecting memorabilia.

Mary was a passionate fan of Thoroughbred horse racing. She attended the Kentucky Derby for over 20 years and though she was a loyal Texan, considered Kentucky her second home and had many friends there as well. On her trips, she would stay in Lexington and visit many of the horse farms as well as indulge in her passion for the local culinary specialty the “Hot Brown.”

Mary was the #1 fan of the champion thoroughbred, Shackleford, winner of the Preakness. Through Facebook, she organized a national fan club, “The Shackettes” which garnered a
legion of fans across the country. Even after Shackleford retired, many in the group remained friends and kept in touch. Mary, in her travels, would meet with them and created a partnership that bred one member’s mare to the stallion producing a filly, “Unshackled.”
Her love of horses led her to volunteer at “Habitat for Horses” where she adopted a horse named “Dixie” and she supported racehorse retirement facilities like “Old Friends.”

Mary’s love for animals extended well beyond horses. She loved Irish Setters and had three “children” over the years including Sadie, Calvin, and Rylie who she lovingly spoiled. Both Calvin and Rylie will miss their “mom.” Mary was also concerned about preserving wildlife. On her visits to Kentucky, she would visit the Kentucky Wildlife Center and provide contributions for rescue and rehabilitation of
wildlife. She participated in elephant encounters as well.

 

The Family will receive friends on Friday November 22,2023 from 5:30pm-9:00pm at Crowder Funeral Home, 1645 East Main, League City, Texas 77573.  A funeral service will follow on Saturday at 10:00am at Crowder funeral Home; 1645 E. Main Street. League City, Texas, 77573. Graveside services will be at Roselawn cemetery in Vanveleck, Texas at 2pm.

For those unable to make the services, livestream for friends and family, can click on the livestream link to watch he service online.

 

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