Mary Ann Broell, 79, a resident of Plano, TX since 1992, passed away peacefully on December 26th, 2023, at Medical City Plano Hospital. Mother, Sister, Aunt, Friend: she was our Rock of Gibraltar. Mary Ann was born November 20, 1944, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Paul and Mary Hardman, and spent her early years in Greenfield. After her father got a job with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the family embarked on an adventure to the Wild West, starting with Klamath Agency, OR, then to Gallup, NM finally to Albuquerque, where they set down roots and found their home. Mary Ann attended Highland High School before obtaining her BA at the University of New Mexico, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She made lifelong friends with many of her sorority sisters. It was also where she met the craziest (and smartest) guy on campus, Fred Broell, whom she married in 1966. It would be putting it mildly to say that she was a calming influence on him. The two of them were sarcastic, witty, and had a bit of a wicked streak, but Mary Ann was definitely the more grounded of the two. They had two children together, Erick and Heather, and again, wanderlust kicked in; the Broell family moved several times before settling in Plano, TX in 1992. Mary Ann was a gifted ink and watercolor artist who painted from photos she had taken of the New Mexico and Arizona landscape. She even made one painting of the ubiquitous Plano shingle rooftops, calling it "Pyramids of Plano." She was also a dedicated wordsmith, who loved turns of phrase such as "pusillanimous pipsqueak," and "unctuous salesman." She often would refer to people as twee or insipid, and if she read this she might say that much of her children's attempts to use these kinds of words in speech resulted in several malapropisms. Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Mary, her husband Fred, her sisters Elizabeth, Cathie, and Ellen, and her brother John. She is survived by her children Erick (Diana), who ended up with her relaxed demeanor and head for finances, and Heather Stave (Robert), who only got her ability to hover over people in the kitchen; her sister Martha; and numerous niblings (oh, Mom - Numerous Niblings! you would have LOVED that one!); as well as seven grand-cats and four grand-chickens. She also leaves behind many beloved friends. As per the wishes of Mother Mary Ann, we will not be holding services. She would, however, request that you donate to the OPMD Association (www.opmd.org/donate) and that everyone would learn more about Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy. Especially doctors. DO BETTER, DOCTORS. Click this link to view additional details about Marys Services: https://my.gather.app/remember/mary-broell