Wives Wing - Mary Weitzel

A.C. and I were married December 20, 1955 while A.C. was in training school in Wichita Falls, Texas. After 4 years and 3 months in the Air Force, A.C. decided to return to civilian life and we moved back to our home town of Beaumont, Texas. Our lives were quite busy as we raised our 5 children. Now all of them are married and we have 10 grandchildren and 2 1/2 great-grandchildren. They all add MUCH joy and love to our lives. All but two of our family live within 100 miles from us so we are able to share in their lives real often.

A.C. retired in 1996 after driving trucks for 30 years. I retired in 1998 after 26 years with the Beaumont Independent School District, working most of those years in a high school library.

A.C. whom we all call "Plug" today, and I are now just as busy as when we worked and had full time jobs only now we are getting to spend much of our lives sharing the message of God's love in different prisons around Texas. A.C. & I both are in the Kairos Prison Ministry at the Stiles unit (for men) and I have ministered in the Hobby unit (for women). A.C. also is part of the Gospel Light Ministry at the Stiles Unit and I have been a part of Bridges To Life Prison Ministry at the LeBlanc unit. It is such a blessing to see the power of God as he changes, forgives, and restores lives that were once so hopeless and hardened in the dark, dark world of a prison. God called us into these prisons back in 1997 and we hope to be sharing His love there until He calls us both to our home in Heaven. From time to time, A.C. and I are asked to speak at churches in surrounding towns about how we see God's love change lives. We are BLESSED far more by all this than any love we give to our sisters and brothers that are incarcerated and/or those in the "so called" free world!

In our "spare" time, we love traveling, especially camping, often taking grandchildren with us. A.C. keeps our land of almost 2 acres beautifully manicured. (Our postman once said he had NEVER seen a man cut the grass so much!) Anyway, we both enjoy the fruits of his labor. We inherited our lovely home here in Vidor 19 years ago and we enjoy country life so much.

We will be celebrating our 50th wedding annniversay in December and plan to enjoy spending it in Hawaii. Four of our five children will be joing us.