Mary Lou (Owen) Hencshel (Garden Ridge, TX) Mary Lou’s family moved to Brecksville in 1958 and she was able to complete 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th grades at good old BHS. After graduation, she attended Kent State University for a short period of time and left school to work full time at the Headquarters of Sherwin Williams Company in Cleveland.

She married her neighbor, David Allen Henschel, in 1961. Virginia Waniki was one of her bridesmaids. During her 1½  year employment with SW, her first son, David Scott was born at the Parma hospital. After her husband, David, graduated from KSU and was commissioned in the US Army, they were stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany for three years. Their second son, Erich, was born in Heidelburg.

They were then transferred to Ft. Story, VA (Virginia Beach). After a year at Ft. Story, she moved back to Brecksville with her parents because David went to Vietnam (1967-68). In 1970 they bought the old Barr Home on Barr Road. They lived there until 1978. During that time, both boys attended Highland Drive Elementary and Brecksville Junior High. She also became a school bus driver for Brecksville School System.

In 1978, they moved to Garden Ridge, Texas which is about half way between San Antonio and New Braunfels. They have been there ever since.

Over the years their family has grown somewhat; “Scott” 47 is a retired Army Ltc who was a Master Aviator and Medivac pilot. He now works as a civilian contractor for the Government.  Erich, 44, is a Captain the Houston Fire Department.  They have 3 grandchildren 23,10 and 8  Two Korean step grandsons, 26 and 23, and one great grandson, 1.

Mary Lou spends her time mostly being a housewife and over the years has joined several clubs.  For 17 years she was in charge of their local volunteer fire department potato pancake (kartoffel puffer) kitchen, which was a 10 day event. And was a large part of the Octoberfest in New Braunfels. They live in an area that was settled by the Germans in the early 1800s. Lately, babysitting is her only job.