Blossom Von Bismark McDonough

Blossom Von Bismark (Frederick) McDonough passed peacefully from this life May 7, 2014 at her family residence. She was 97. A memorial service at St Paul's Episcopal Church of Brady is pending. Blossom Edna Frederick was born Sept. 23, 1916 in Hanna, Wyoming to Grace O'Brien Williamson Frederick and Otto Frederick Von Bismark. The family moved to Fort Worth , Texas in 1930. After graduation from Stripling High in 1933, Blossom attended Texas Christian University. She was a Fort Worth Steeplechase Club debutante in 1934, and later, Brady's Miss Heart of Texas 1940. After moving to Brady in 1936, she earned a BA degree at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in French. She was a member of Tri Delta Sorority, and was selected one of the Ten Most Beautiful women at U.T. in 1938. At age 21, Blossom traveled to France where she taught French and English at Bec D' Ambes, near Bordeaux. With war imminent, in 1939 she returned to Brady to teach kindergarten. She married her husband of 65 years, Joseph Cleveland McDonough, on May 24, 1943, raised three sons, and served as organist at St Paul's Episcopal Church from the 1940s to 1960s. She loved her church, and in 2003 received an Honored Women Award from the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. Blossom taught Spanish at Brady High School from 1962-1975, and organized yearly bus trips to Mexico for her students. After retirement, she helped organize the Brady Adult Literacy Council in 1991, and continued to pursue her life's work by tutoring language students for many more years. In 2008 Blossom and husband Joe were honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Brady/McCulloch County Chamber of Commerce. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Robert Otto Frederick, husband Joe McDonough, son Cleveland Frederick McDonough, and grandson Brian Daniel McDonough. She is survived by son and daughter-in-law Robert D. and Barbara McDonough of Santa Monica, California, son Dr. Frederick C. McDonough of Brady, grandson Matthew McDonough of Santa Monica, and 3 granddaughters: Courtney McDonough of Salt Lake City, Utah, Allison McDonough of Logan Utah, and Capt. Megan B. McDonough, USAF, currently serving in Afghanistan.

Blossom Von Bismark McDonough

September 23, 1916 - May 7, 2014