Mary Ann Pretnar Ceballos, 75, died on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, with her family by her side.
Funeral services were held on Friday, Sept. 3, at St. Austin’s Catholic Church, with Rev. Richard Andre officiating. A celebration of life immediately followed at the Driskill Hotel Bar, in Austin, TX. Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements.
Mrs. Ceballos was born on Feb. 2, 1946, in Hillsboro, to Mary Ann and Albert Pretnar of Coalton. She received her RN from Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, MO, where she met the love of her life for 45 years, Dr. Nelson Ceballos. The couple lived in St. Louis, MO, for a short time and eventually moves to Austin, TX, where they raised their family.
Mrs. Ceballos worked as an ER nurse at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, TX. She left her career to raise two beautiful daughters. Once her children were in school full time, Mrs. Ceballos went back to school and earned a bachelors in business administration from St. Edwards University. She eventually went back to Brackenridge, not as a nurse but a volunteer. After volunteering for some time, she was asked to work in the ER as a patient information coordinator. She spent over 20 years at Brackenridge Hospital and was truly happy there. The bonds and friendships she made there were invaluable to her and brought her a lot of joy.
Her family knew her as a strong, honest and caring woman who told it like it was. She loved Big Band music and dancing to it. She also loved to eat and was a phenomenal cook, who often recreated items from restaurant menus. Mrs. Ceballos was always learning something new, taking art classes, painting and reading books on various topics. She put her family first, and gave them unparalleled love and support. Mrs. Ceballos was diagnosed with cancer in July 2020 and fought until the very end.
Mrs. Ceballos is survived by her daughters, Suzanna (David) Rosenblatt and Gina (Donovan) Van Zandt; grandsons, James Alan Albright, Grayson Ceballos Albright, Beau Nelson Tolmachoff and Asher Donovan Van Zandt; and siblings, Linda Keeler and Alan Pretnar.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and husband.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Condolences may be left online at www.dignitymemorial.com.
