Mary Ruth Rezac (Owen Dunkle)

Mary Ruth  Rezac (Owen Dunkle), age 84, passed away peacefully at home, in her sleep, on May 10, 2019, with her family. She left this life showing love, grace, and unshakable faith in knowing that she was heading to her eternal home with God. She continued reading the Word of God even as she struggled with dementia. She was grateful to God for the beautiful life He gave her which was filled with love, laughter, friends, and family.

Mary, the youngest girl of six children, was born in Fresno, CA, on September 16, 1934, to John Owen and Clarinda Frances Robillard. She carried a love for her family all her life. Throughout her life, she was close to family but closest to her sister, Ella.

Mary met and married her first husband, Everett Noel Dunkle in 1950 and together raised their 4 children. They were married for over 40 years and they were active in church life. Mary enjoyed being a mom and experiencing life through the eyes of her children. She was a good listener and readily shared her wisdom in her own special, down-to-earth manner.

In the early 70s, after many years in California, the family loaded up their belongings and headed east to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mary worked as a secretary for one of the associate pastors at Highland Park Baptist Church, where they were members for 2 years. The last year there they ran a dormitory for high school students for the Highland Park Baptist Schools. A year prior, Mary accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Mary enjoyed being in the service of God.

In 1973, they moved to San Jose, California, where Mary worked for Liberty Baptist Church as an assistant teacher for the elementary and high school students. Mary loved teaching and helping children all her life. As her children grew up and moved away from home, Mary’s active life with her own children changed to being an active Grandmother.

In the late 70s and for several years following, Mary worked as an apartment manager and then as a regional property manager in Fresno, California. She longed to go back to her first passion, teaching. Mary became a missionary to the Navajo Nation Youth in the early 1980s. She left missionary work at the end of the 80s. Soon thereafter she met and married Bill Rezac, her 2nd husband on December 3, 1989, in Bloomfield, NM. They relocated to Buckeye, AZ where they both were apartment managers. They had a loving but short relationship, as Bill went to heaven on March 9, 1994.

Mary gave up her home in Buckeye, Arizona, and moved to Aztec, New Mexico where she could be taken care of by family members. Matt became Mary’s caregiver in 2002 when she moved into senior retirement housing in Aztec, NM. Mary moved in with Matt & CJ Dunkle in 2013, in Rifle, Colorado. The three made the move to Montrose, Colorado where Mary enjoyed living out the rest of her life with cats, dogs, chickens, and grandchildren. Mary’s deep devotion to God guided her through her life. She loved Montrose where she made wonderful friends and had more new family. She loved the beauty of Montrose. Mary enjoyed her “Rose” Class at Rosemont Baptist Church and all the ladies there.

Mary left this life showing love, grace, and unshakable faith knowing that she was headed to her eternal home with God. She is proceeded in death by Mary’s parents, John Owen and Clarinda Frances Robillard, her husband, Noel, 2nd husband, Bill, 3 brothers,  John (Johnnie) Owen, Glenn (Margie-living) Layton, Lawrence (Janet-living) Layton, Gene Layton, 1 sister, Ella Jewell, son, Larry Dunkle, and grandson, Brian. She leaves behind 3 beloved children, Scott Howard Dunkle (wife-Dawn), Matthew Alan Dunkle (wife-Constance), and Ruth Ellen Cash( husband-Michael), 13 grandchildren,  12 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild. Mary loved all her family and friends.

Mary will join Bill in Phoenix, Arizona at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, at a later date. Mary is eternally grateful for the love and care she received from all those who loved her.