Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother Marilyn Grace Cates passed away on June 9th, 2026 at the age of 82. Marilyn was born in Oregon on May 24, 1944 to Cloyd and Ruby Hessong. She grew up in Banquete, Texas and attended Mary Hardin Baylor University where she played basketball and volleyball. Marilyn found her true vocation as a homemaker and mother, roles at which she excelled for her entire life.

Marilyn married her best friend, Curtis Bernard Cates, on December 11th, 1974. They were married for 46 blissful years until Curtis's death on July 28th 2021. Their life together was rich with family and friends and they treasured time spent with their children and grandchildren. She was a faithful servant of the Lord and was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Cuero.

Marilyn was generous and loving to everyone who truly knew her. She was inherently shy and never liked being the center of attention but, because of her kindness and beauty, attention found her none the less. She was a homecoming queen, a tenacious athlete, a gentle mother, and a patient listener. She loved to play games and more often than not she would win, yet she remained gracious and self-effacing in victory or defeat. She was an avid sports fan and she eagerly followed the Cuero Gobblers, Texas Longhorns, and her beloved Houston Astros. She loved nature and enjoyed identifying the colors and songs of the many birds that frequented her backyard and went as far as having her privacy fence replaced with wrought iron in order to better view the deer grazing in the cemetery behind her house.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Cates; father, Cloyd Hessong; mother, Ruby Hessong; sister, Mary Wood; and brothers, Richard Hessong and Earl Hessong. She is survived by her daughter, Yvonne Huff and husband Michael Huff; son, Brian Cates and wife Rebecca Cates; son, Scot Johnson and wife Rachel Spillman-Johnson; granddaughter, Amber Cates; grandson, Shaun Runyon and wife Rachel Runyon; granddaughter, Bridget Lewis and husband Jason Lewis; granddaughter, Megan Wing and husband Josh Wing, granddaughter, Molly Peterson and husband Clayton Peterson, granddaughter, Kaylee Cates, grandson, Russell Sosa and wife Jessica Sosa, grandson, Joshua Bennetsen and wife Ashley Bennetsen, 25 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held Saturday, June 13th 2026, 1pm at Freund Funeral Home in Cuero. A Celebration of Life will follow at 2pm with Dr Glenn Robertson officiating. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to South Texas Children's Home.

You may sign the guestbook or send condolences at www.freundfuneralhome.com.

Freund Funeral Home, 361.275.2343.