Nixon mourns loss of Councilwoman Mary Ann Fatheree

The city of Nixon is mourning the passing of City Councilwoman Mary Ann Fatheree, who passed away Friday, Jan. 27, at the age of 55.

Fatheree had been first elected to the Nixon City Council in May 2017 and was re-elected in 2019 and 2021. The election filing period began just nine days prior to her passing and Fatheree would have been eligible to seek a fourth consecutive term on the council.

During her tenure on the council, the city completed construction of a new City Hall and Community Center. One of her most ardent supporters has been Patsy Virgil Scherrer, executive director of Passion for PAWS Memorial Animal Shelter, who had known Fatheree since grade school and had also run for council along with her during that 2017 campaign.

“My deepest condolences go out to Mary Ann’s family. This woman, my dear friend, will definitely be missed,” Scherrer wrote on Facebook in memorializing her friend. “As a member of the Nixon Council she has been such an inspiration in our community. Her concerns were always for the citizens of our community and the welfare of all senior citizens and elderly. Not many people put this in front as priority for our community, but MaryAnn has followed the Lord as putting the needs of the citizens first. She has always been very dog friendly and I have admired her Godly heart for God's animals.

“It really breaks my heart to hear of her passing but we all know that God has her in his arms now.

She was a very strong woman in believing in what was right in our community. Mary Ann, my dear friend, you will be missed very much and I promise you I will try my best to continue to help the citizens as much as I can, which is something you kept pushing me with before every election. I thank you for having faith in me and I have always carried my faith in you as you went through your battles.”

In addition to her role on the city council, Fatheree was a lay speaker for Dewville United Methodist Church, president of the United Methodist Women’s Women in Faith; winner of the Discipleship award from the Corpus Christi District of the UMC; and a graduate of the advanced course “Spiritual Gifts” from Las Misiones Director of Lay Servant Ministries.

Her funeral service was held Monday, Jan. 30, at Finch Funeral Chapel in Nixon and burial followed at Harris Chapel Rising Star Cemetery in Nixon.