Mimi Mast Tangum

Mimi Mast Tangum 1941-2021

Marion Mast Tangum (Mimi), born in San Antonio to Charles and Marion Mast on November 20, 1941, died on January 12, 2021, in Saint Augustine, Florida.   Joe and Gina Mindell were also beloved parents later in her life after her mother died.  She graduated from Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, and held a B.A. degree from Trinity University, a Master’s degree in English from the University of Texas in San Antonio, and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Texas at Austin.

She was a wonderful mother and grandmother who loved her family and friends dearly.   Mimi’s number one titles were mom, grandmom, aunt, and sister.  Without question, her family came first.  She was a teacher, mentor, and inspirational woman very active in her community, providing aid through her skill at grant writing for various churches (St. Joseph’s in San Antonio, Church of the Epiphany in Washington D.C.), volunteering over the years for the causes she believed in: education, literacy, women’s rights, racial equality and helping the homeless.  She was a creative writer, passionate reader, and literary expert with a love for language and writers like Toni Morrison, William Faulkner, Maya Angelou, Larry McMurtry, and Zora Neal Hurston.  She even studied Latin and Greek online for fun once retired.

Mimi’s first career (and one she was very proud of) was stay-at-home mom, which included many professions, such as cookie baker, carpooler, girl scout helper, English tutor, piano lesson critic, grammar coach, elementary school library volunteer, and Sunday school teacher.  Mimi also loved food and travel, and she passed this love on to her children; she took many trips across the U.S., touring the national and state parks, beaches, Laredo, San Miguel, Mexico City, London, Paris, Sceaux, Santorini, Normandy, Yugoslavia, and Russia.

She sprinted, after her kids grew up, to start another career in education.  Mimi was on the faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio early in her career. She then taught and moved into an administrator role at Texas State University, where she directed the Research and Sponsored Programs Office and served as the University’s Associate Vice President for Research.  With Mimi’s leadership, the office helped the university increase its funding from grants; she helped countless professors find funding for special research programs. She was famous for enticing professors to apply for grants by generously helping them succeed.  She also created and taught a graduate course on African American women writers.  After leaving Texas State University she set out on an adventure to consult in Washington, D.C.  She worked for the Department. of Education, had a stint teaching in Israel helping future college professors, and ended her D.C. career as Grants Resource Center Director at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. She helped professors across over 400 public colleges and universities secure grants to further innovation in teaching, learning, and improve students’ educational/career outcomes.

Mimi is survived by her brother, Charles “Buddy” Mast of Brenham, Texas; sister Jackie Mindell of Las Vegas, Nevada; and children: Rick and Carol Tangum of Decatur, Georgia; Robyn and Graham Gilson of Saint Augustine, Florida; and Judith and Mike Arsenault of Kennesaw, Georgia. She adored her eight grandchildren: Liam, Maura, and Hailey Tangum; Brayden and Austin Gilson; and Angelo, Penelope, and Audrey Arsenault.  She also adored her many cousins, nieces, and nephews: David Mast, Mary Mast Johnson, Jon Mast, Amy Carroll, Jamie Velasquez, and Ross Tangum.

The family wishes to thank Brookdale Mandarin Central nurses and CNAs for their Alzheimer/Dementia care, training, and family support.  We also thank Baptist South Hospital nursing staff, Oakview Rehab, and Community Hospice for the caring touch at the end, especially the way they helped the family navigate COVID care and get Mimi the help she needed.  A special thanks as well to Richard Tangum and Maggie Valentine, along with family, and friends for their support over the years.

“Yum yum for you Mom”: we have declared January 12th as Enchilada day. (Those that know Mimi well please join in and we know you all know and remember her LOVE of food and that high metabolism we were all in awe of).

Mimi touched many. As Maya Angelou wrote,

” People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to any charity of your choice.

Services will be held in San Antonio, her home, in late November (post COVID).  She will be buried at Sunset Memorial with her beloved Mom, Dad, and baby sister.  She talked up to the end about seeing her mom. The family is thankful she is at peace and in mother’s arms again.