Mary Muse: Feb. 5, 1958-Jan. 23, 2026

Mary Kathleen Muse died January 23 in San Angelo, Texas. Mary was born February 5, 1958 in Amarillo, Texas. She died just two weeks shy of her 68th birthday. In between, Mary lived a full rich life. 

Mary loved people above all else. Although they had little in financial terms, Mary and her husband, Bill, considered ourselves very wealthy by virtue of the treasures of friendship and love of so many incredible people. Because of her beautiful open heart, Mary had the amazing ability to draw a diverse and eclectic group of people to her everywhere she went. And she truly saw the beauty and the worth in everyone, so she did not discard anyone, but rather held them in her heart and in her memory forever. She touched countless lives and she cherished them all.

She loved all of you just as dearly as we all love her. I use the present tense because our love for this beautiful woman will never die.

Mary’s love of music was boundless. From her earliest years, hearing Western Swing and Country music performed by her Dad, Hal Williams, through her childhood learning to sing and create harmonies in the Church of Christ, to the years we spent through the 1990s traveling and performing together, to the years that were a labor of love, leading the Kerrville Folk Festival, music was always an essential part of Mary’s life. 

Indeed, The Festival, as she always referred to it, reflected everything that was important to Mary. It values people of every background and identity; it is the birthplace, the nursery, and the hallowed hall of original music. As you all know, it was the place we met, the place we fell in love, and the place that redefined us for the rest of our lives, connecting us not only with each other but with the friends we hold so dear.

Mary loved laughter. And she operated with the philosophy that a good martini or a glass of fine wine, and a smoke, along with thoughtfully crafted music were oils that made life run smoothly. She never really gave up smoking, try as she might. Although never consumed by alcohol, she certainly enjoyed consuming it with good friends. She also considered herself a foodie, and most of our most cherished memories as a couple were wrapped around a great meal.

Along with her chosen family, Mary loved her birth family as well. She is survived by her husband, Bill Muse, her mother, Barbara Williams, her brother, Ron Williams,, a niece, a nephew, many cousins and her beloved dog, Jackson.  Memorial plans are to be determined.