Obituary of Mary Ann Monkhouse Kleuser

Mary Ann Monkhouse Kleuser passed away quietly on Tuesday morning, April 23, 2019, surrounded by her loving family following a twelve month ordeal with brain cancer. Mary Ann faced this challenge with the same grace and dignity as she managed her entire life.Mary Ann was born in Dallas, Texas on January 19, 1950 to George and Genevieve Monkhouse. She graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1967. Since Mary Ann loved arts and crafts as a young girl, her mother encouraged her to pursue a degree in Occupational Therapy. Mary Ann earned her bachelor’s degree in OT from Colorado State University in 1971. In 1975, Mary Ann was hired by Scott & White Clinic in Temple, Texas to start an Occupational Therapy Department. By the time of her departure from Scott & White in 1981, Mary Ann had established a large and well-respected department with six OTs.On June 30, 1977, while she was at Scott & White, Mary Ann met an obscure Resident in Orthopaedic Surgery. Their relationship continued for the next four years until Mary Ann convinced Tom to get married. They were married in Temple on July 25, 1981 and then moved to Fort Worth. They had three wonderful sons together, George, Charlie, and John. During this time, Mary Ann worked part-time as an OT while she was actively involved in her sons’ school activities. She later earned her master’s degree in OT at TWU.Mary Ann absolutely loved Fort Worth from the moment she moved here in 1981. She was very involved in so many organizations, including the Junior League, Streams and Valleys, FW Parks and Recreation Board, Nolan High School, and Fort Worth Southwest Rotary Club. Mary Ann was also a past president of the Tarrant County Medical Alliance, and she organized the first Healthfair in 1988 while carrying baby #3. She was selected as Occupational Therapist of the year by the Texas OT Association, and she chaired the committee that successfully gained licensure for all OTs in the state of Texas. Mary Ann was also a Master Gardener, a docent at the Kimbell Art Museum, and a volunteer and board member at the Center For Transforming Lives.Mary Ann enjoyed being with people and for many years belonged to a book club, an investment group, a bridge club, and a church class. All of those members considered Mary Ann a best friend. Mary Ann’s creativity, wisdom, quick wit, and intellectual curiosity were so much a part of her being, whether she was sewing, designing home renovations, planting gardens, sketching, or traveling the world. In addition, she had the unique ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of organizations and to use her creativity to support their organizational purposes.The family would like to thank Dr. Brett Cochrum, Dr. Mary Milam, and Dr. Tom Leavens for their dedication and compassionate care. A special thanks from Tom and the Kleuser family to all of Mary Ann’s friends, her “Guardian Angels,” who provided meals, support, pedicures, movie afternoons, and love during this time.Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, George and Gen Monkhouse.Survivors: Her husband, Tom; her sons, George and wife, Mailyse, and son, Adrian Thomas of Mantes La Jolie, France; Charles, of Fort Worth, and John, of Park City, Utah; Mary Ann’s sister, Patty Kopeck and husband, Tom; and numerous wonderful cousins, nieces, nephews, in/out-laws and her other two loving sons, Joshua Ryan Jones and Kameron Beckerich.