Mary Lucy Phalen (nee Maria de la Luz Segura) went to meet our Heavenly Father on November 7, 2020 after a brief illness.  She passed peacefully surrounded by family who prayed and sang at her bedside.

She was the youngest daughter of Agustin and Leonor Segura who emigrated from Mexico to Texas at the turn of the 20 ^th century.  She was raised with strong Catholic values that emphasized faith, family and a generosity of spirit.  She attended St. Henry's elementary and high school and graduated Salutatorian.  She earned her Bachelor's degree from Our Lady of the Lake College.

She became a teacher, which was truly a vocation for her.  She taught at various Catholic schools including St. Martin's Hall, St. Paul's and St. Anthony's.  She also taught in the SAISD for 30 years at schools, including Horace Mann and Longfellow.  She loved teaching and always referred to her students as "my children".

After she retired, she tutored neighborhood children who could not attend school due to illness or who needed extra help.  This was her joy!  She also volunteered her teaching services at Our Lady of the Atonement when they were in transition and were in desperate need of good teachers.

Her most fateful teaching assignment was when she was asked to fill in at St. Henry's in 1956 after the sudden and tragic death of one of their nuns.  There, Mary Lucy met Bill Phalen, a fellow teacher who shared her same strong Catholic values.  They married on December 28, 1957 and had four children:  Joseph, Cecilia, Norbert and Letitia.  She was very proud of her children and because of her ongoing emphasis on education, her children went on to earn college degrees, including post-graduate degrees.

She adored her son-in-law and daughters-in-law as if they were her own children and would do anything for them.  She became somewhat of a celebrity when she starred in the "Madrina" commercials during the gubernatorial campaign for her son-in-law, Greg Abbott.  This commercial proved to be effective with gaining the Hispanic vote.  She was so proud that her daughter, Cecilia, became the first Hispanic First Lady of Texas.  Sadly, during this victorious time, she lost her son, Norbert, to cancer.

She loved music.  She had a beautiful singing voice and played both the piano and organ.  She shared her gift of song at various weddings and funerals.  Anyone planning these important family events always knew they could count on both Lucy and Bill to organize the music.

Her house was always your house!  The Phalen home became a hub for many celebrations, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions, to name a few.  Extended family and friends knew they were always welcome!

She was an excellent cook and she had some iconic items like her famous fruit salad that could not be replicated.  Music was always a big part of the Phalen experience so everyone was encouraged to sing Christmas Carols in harmony.

If anyone needed a place to stay for the holidays or if they were in between places in life, her door was open and they were treated as family.  If anyone needed help and approached her, they would not be left out in the cold.  This included stray animals.  Mary Lucy exemplified her name, Maria de la Luz, meaning Mary of the light!

She is survived by her husband of nearly 63 years, William (Bill) Phalen,  her son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Yvette Phalen, daughter, First Lady Cecilia and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, daughter-in-law, Rosie Torres Phalen (the late Norbert Phalen) and daughter, Letitia Phalen MD.  She is also survived by her grandchildren James and Natalie Phalen (Joseph and Yvette), Joshua Rocha, Clarissa, Erica, Olivia and  Samuel Phalen (the late Norbert Phalen and Rosie Torres Phalen) and Audrey Abbott (Cecilia and Greg Abbott).  Surviving great-grandchildren including Roman and Monique Rocha, as well as Charizma and Sebastian Boone.

She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Norbert Phalen, as well as her parents, Agustin and Leonor Segura, siblings, Agustin and Jose Segura and Nina Barner.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Due to Covid restrictions, attendance at the Rosary and Funeral Services will be limited

to family and close friends.

Her services will be live streamed via the

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower YouTube page,

https://youtube.com/LittleFlowerBasilica

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Mary Lucy Phalen had a strong personal attachment to the

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, she requested that donations be sent to the restoration fund for the Basilica.

Those that wish to contribute can visit https://littleflowerbasilica.org/donate

Please choose the "Restoration Fund" and include "In memory of Lucy Phalen"

in the donation notes to ensure your contribution is noted in her behalf.

Donations by check can be signed to "Little Flower Restoration"

with "Lucy Phalen" on the memo line.