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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Mildred M. Merrell age 93, of San Antonio passed away on Thursday, August 19, 2010 at her home. Mildred was born on May 7, 1917, in Stockdale, Texas, to Newel and Laura Bell known as Dollie Sutherland Phillips. Newel married Dollie when he was 24 and she was 15. Mildred was the second of three children with an older sister Dorothy Bruce and younger brother Hubert Phillips. Mildred's father was a farmer and a skilled carpenter. Dollie was a homemaker and competent farming partner. As a young girl, Mildred helped her father on the family farm outside Floresville, Texas, on the banks of the San Antonio River. Mildred recalled during the great depression when government men showed up at her daddy's farm and took most of their cattle, pigs, and chickens for the soup kitchens in San Antonio. Mildred graduated from Floresville High School in 1937. At the age of 19, she married John Riley Phillips, a rugged, dashing, U.S. Cavalry Sergeant, stationed at Fort Clark near Brackettville, Texas. John Phillips transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1940. John and Mildred were stationed at Harlingen Air Field on the Texas Coast, where in 1942 Mildred and John had their son John R. Phillips Jr. Mildred and John Phillips parted ways in 1945. Mildred moved to San Antonio, Texas where she worked as night manager at the Texas Grill and by day attended Durham's Business College. In 1947 she met Aloysius Stephen Haidinger while working at the Texas Grill, after a brief courtship, decided to remarry. In 1953, Al and Mildred had a son, Steven N. Haidinger. She took a job at the Bexar County Courthouse in the motor vehicle license department. After a few years, Perry Kallison of San Antonio's Kallison's Farm and Ranch Store hired Mildred as his primary bookkeeper. Mildred once said she kept track of nut, bolts, and screws. After five years, Sam Jorry of Jorry's Furniture hired Mildred to be his PBX operator and later was promoted to retail credit manager at Jorrie's Furniture Store on Southwest Military Drive. In 1965, Al died from a sudden heart attack. In 1967, one of Mildred's close friends introduced her to Ross V. Crone, a San Antonio firefighter. They dated for a year, fell in love, and married in 1967. Mildred and Ross traveled across the United States and had many exciting times together until his death in 1970. Mildred moved on with her life and took the job of office and credit manager for Honigblum's Furniture in San Antonio where she remained until her retirement in 1972. Mildred went into the active retirement life enjoying friends and family. Mildred and her friend, John L. Sparks, started to travel, fish, and hunt together. Following John Sparks death in 1983, Mildred became a homebody and devoted many hours to her church and community as a volunteer. In 1989 she met Paul E. Merrell, a fellow member of Ashley Road Baptist Church. In 1991 Mildred at age 74 and Paul then 79 married. They lived ten full, happy years together as man and wife, traveling and working within the Ashley Road Baptist Church community. Paul went to be with his heavenly father in August 2001. Mildred stayed in the house that she and Paul bought together with her constant companion Baby, a toy poodle. Mildred is survived by her sons, John R. Phillips Jr. and his wife Diann Bush, and Steven N. Haidinger and his wife Gloria Hall. Mildred has three grandchildren, Peter and Paul Haidinger and Melissa Phillips, and four great grandchildren Christian, Gavin, Jenesis, and Kayli. Mildred was preceded in death by her sister Dorothy and brother Hubert. Mildred will be buried next to Ross V. Crone, at the Mission Burial Parks South, 1700 Southeast Military Drive Loop 13 at Mission Road, San Antonio, Texas. "In childhood, death stirred me not; in middle age, it pursued me like a prowling bandit on the road; now, grown an old woman, it boldly leads the way, and ushers me on." Visitation will begin on Monday, August 23, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Mission Burial Park South. For personal acknowledgement you may sign the guest book at www.missionparks.com in the obituary section.

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Mildred Merrell

May 6, 1917 - August 19, 2010