SEVENTH GENERATION RANCHER MARY KATHRINE WHITE MOURSUND SET TO RECEIVE THE TEXAS COASTAL CATTLEWOMEN TRUE TEXAS CATTLEWOMAN HONOR

The 2025 Texas Coastal CattleWomen Annual Fundraiser Luncheon and Style Show will honor Texas cattlewoman Mary Kathrine White Moursund as the second recipient of the association’s True Texas CattleWoman. The seventh-generation rancher, who manages the White Ranch properties in Chambers and Jefferson counties will receive the award at the annual fundraising luncheon and style show on September 23, 2025, at the Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Texas.

Gulf coast cattle ranching is not given to the spotlight many large, plains ranches shine under, but the long history of the White Ranch began in the 1820s, with today’s White Ranch operating as a commercial cow-calf operation in Chambers and Jefferson counties, running mainly Brahman crossed cattle. It began as and remains a family run ranch, and White Moursund has stepped in to fill her late father, William Cade “Bill” White’s, shoes to manage the Stowell, Texas, ranch where her parents raised her and her brother.

“My dad ran the ranch since he was 22, after his dad passed away,” recalled White Moursund. “Dad was work-driven and enjoyed what he did, but he never pushed it on us. He never made us feel like continuing the ranch was something we had to do. I don’t know if I can say I have a first memory, I just recall always being there, being around dad. I loved being outside. I love the horses, the cattle. I loved that every day was different. Even though it can be incredibly stressful at times, and a lot of work physically, mentally and emotionally, it is very rewarding and always something I wanted to do.”

After graduating Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics with a focus on Rural Entrepreneurship and a minor in Business and completing the Texas Christian University Ranch Management Program in Fort Worth, White Moursund returned to work alongside her father, Bill White, until she was married in 2021. She married a fellow family rancher, Albert Moursund, and the two live on his family’s ranch outside of Johnson City, Texas.

“Early on [in the relationship], I was talking to dad about how Albert ran his family’s place, and he wasn’t leaving, and I wanted to be on our family place,” White Moursund explained. “I asked Dad’s opinion on if he thought it was something I should even continue to pursue and that's when dad told me that if I let the ranch stand in the way in the way of marrying, he would fire me. I knew then he thought highly of Albert. We finally got married in 2021, in November. I moved my stuff up after our wedding; I stayed and worked until the last minute. I knew moving to Johnson City, my role in our ranch would move more toward the business end. I was ok with that because this is where I am building my family, and dad was ok with that, too. I got to where I was doing more paperwork and dad still had most of the load.”

Following the death of her father in December 2023, White Moursund has taken the reins of the ranch’s day-to-day business operations while also managing the horse and cattle operations with trusted employees who understand the family’s vision. That was something she and her father planned for, though they thought the day to implement those plans would be much farther down the road, she said.

“I am grateful we have a great crew; a few of the guys had been with my dad since before I was born. They knew what to do and what needs to be done,” she said. “My dad was an avid horse breeder and loved the art of it. My dad didn’t have hobbies, he worked, but he loved having a stud horse and a broodmare string. He spent a lot of time and put thought into growing his herd, and I have someone helping with that as well as someone helping with the cattle All three of us are in communication and it is working. We take it day-by-day and figure it out as it comes.”

She and Albert have two children, Dean and Evie, who they plan to raise in the family tradition, ranching. Yet, the challenges of maintaining family ranches continue to grow, especially those unique to the Gulf Coast, which include hurricanes as well as drought, alligators and more.

“I think Gulf Coast ranching gets overlooked quite a bit,” she said. “To be able to represent my family and my dad, it is important to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue what our ancestors did. It’s been in our family so long, and run by our family, and that is not something many people can say. The fact it’s been in our family so long, and what my dad did to grow and better the herd genetics—and what a great cow man he was—for me to represent him, that means more to me than I can put into words.”

Held annually each fall, the Texas Coastal CattleWomen Fundraiser Luncheon and Style Show, featuring 2025 partner The Hat Store and THS Ranch, raises funds that perpetuate the mission of education and creating awareness of the best protein, beef. The organization has raised and gifted over a million dollars toward that goal through scholarships and donations of beef since its inception in 1983. The True Texas Rancher honor began in 2024 to highlight women giving their all to the industry that supports so much of the state.

In addition to the September event, White Moursund and coastal cattle ranches will be highlighted at the May 21, 2025, membership meeting and kick-off luncheon held at The Forest Club in Houston. The public is welcome to join the event, where representatives from the Chambers County Museum will visit with several coastal ranchers, and Emily Lochner of the Cattle Raisers of Texas Association will also present. Tickets to the May and September events are available at texascoastalcattlewomen.com.

For more information, visit texascoastalcattlewomen.com. Follow the association on Facebook at facebook.com/texcoastal/ and on Instagram at @texascoastalcattlewomen.

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About Texas Coastal CattleWomen

TCCW is a hardworking group of ladies dedicated to informing consumers of the nutritional value of beef and the importance of the beef industry and its contribution to the economy of the nation. TCCW believes in supporting youth in their education pursuit to continue this cause today.