Nancy Jean Murray

Nancy Jean Hoelscher Murray passed away in an Austin hospital after a brief illness on February 20, 2024, at the age of 59.  Nancy was born November 8, 1964, in Rosebud, Texas, to her parents, Edgar and Beatrice Hoelscher.  She grew up on a farm near Lott and attended grade school in Westphalia and Lott.  She graduated as valedictorian from Rosebud-Lott High School in 1983.  She attended college at Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton on an athletic scholarship, playing basketball and volleyball and attaining a degree in education.

Nancy worked as a teacher and coach in both the LaVega and Midway school districts. She met the love of her life, Roddy Murray, a fellow teacher in Waco, and they were married in Westphalia on March 10, 1990.  They relocated to Austin where Nancy transitioned to a new position. Having learned to use sign language to better communicate with and help her deaf Uncle Wilfred and Aunt Elaine, she completed the coursework to become a certified interpreter for the deaf. She worked the remainder of her career as an interpreter with Austin ISD.  After retiring in 2015, she continued interpreting part-time.

Nancy will be remembered for her generous and loving spirit, her love of family, her affection for cats, her affinity for garage sales, but most of all, her love of her partner and best friend, Roddy.  He was always by her side. She also treasured the time she spent with her niece Madelynn and nephew Noah.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Alan Ray Hoelscher and Roger Lynn Hoelscher.

She is survived by brothers Donald Hoelscher of Temple and Dennis Hoelscher and wife Donna of Hewitt; sisters Ann Saur and husband Phil of Comfort and Kathy Asher and husband Trey of Palestine; sister-in-law Cindy Hoelscher of Riesel; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be provided by Cook-Gerngross-Green-Patterson Funeral Home in Rosebud on Tuesday, February 27. Visitation will be from 6:00-7:00 followed by the Rosary.  Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at the Church of the Visitation in Westphalia, Texas, will be held at 10:00 on Wednesday, February 28.