Ura Mercer

Ura Mercer, a long-time resident of Temple, passed away on May 29th at the age of 94. She was the oldest of five children born to Bill and Wanda Hudgens on their farm in Belfalls, Texas on August 19, 1924.

She graduated from Troy schools where she was an excellent student and active in sports, Temple Junior College and Mary Hardin-Baylor where she earned a degree in elementary education in 1965, the same year her oldest son graduated from Temple High School.

In 1944 Ura was introduced to her future husband, Arthur J. Mercer, Jr. who was from Temple and serving in the Army at the time. A.J. had played football and graduated from Texas A&M in College Station before they met. They were married on July 22, 1945 at Grace Presbyterian Church in Temple and had two sons, Arthur J. (Joe) Mercer III of Belfalls and William M. (Mike) Mercer of Temple. She and her husband who preceded her in death in 2008 lived in Temple their entire lives. Ura was active in Grace Presbyterian Church, various civic activities, Temple Garden Club and Thornton Elementary School where she taught 2nd grade for 23 years. After retiring from teaching in 1988 she and A.J. traveled to Russia, Germany, Austria, England, Hawaii and Alaska. They were avid cooks and treated family and friends to many wonderful meals especially on holidays. They learned to square dance and enjoyed gardening and bird watching.

In her later years she lived at Garden Estates in Temple and finally at Cornerstone Skilled Nursing Facility in Temple where she passed away.

Ura is preceded in death by her husband, A.J., her brother Billy Hudgens and sister Gay Rucker. Ura is survived by her sister Bonnie Martin Bulls and husband Bobby Bulls of Temple, her brother Gary Hudgens and wife Cecelia of Belfalls, son Joe Mercer and wife Beth of Belfalls, son Mike Mercer and wife Nancy of Temple, granddaughter Jan-Michael Mercer of Pflugerville, grandson Kelly Mercer and wife Natalie of Hutto, great-granddaughters Avery and Adyson Mercer of Hutto and Tayler Herklotz of Bastrop. Great-grandson Jesse Herklotz also of Bastrop and many nieces and nephews.

Viewing will take place on Friday, May 31, 2019, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Temple. A private graveside interment service is to be held on Saturday, June 1st at 10:30 a.m. at the Belfalls Cemetery with a Celebration of Life service to follow at 1:30 p.m. at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home.

Ura always believed that a hug and a little piece of candy given with love could cure a lot of what ails you.

The family would welcome donations in her memory to the charity of your choice.