Lavena Schmidt

Lavena Mae Schmidt passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013, at the age of 91, in Victoria, Texas. She was born Lavena Mae Smith in 1921 in Angleton, TX. She attended various schools throughout South and East Texas during her childhood and graduated from Angleton High School, Angleton, Texas, in May 1939. She attended Southwestern Business School in Houston prior to marriage to Ernest Otto Schmidt of Taft, Texas. She lived the bulk of her adult life in San Patricio and Bee Counties, Texas, where she and Ernie raised their family. Lavena was the chief domestic engineer, bookkeeper, chauffeur and cheerleader for a household of active kids, a busy husband, and a bustling farming and cattle feeding operation. She also worked in the Tax Collector's office in Beeville for several years. She was much loved and respected by all who knew her and she will be sorely missed. She was preceded in death by Ernest Otto Schmidt, her much loved husband of many years; her parents, Roland Galger Smith and Lonie (Sims) Smith of Angleton, Texas; and her sister, Genevieve Smith Freudenthal of Algiers, La. She is survived by her son, Ernest Paul Schmidt (Cheryl); daughters, Barbara Schmidt Teer (Ken), and Judy Schmidt Troell (Mike); grandchildren, Bradley Schmidt (Caye), Justin Schmidt (Crystal), Kelly Schmidt Pool (Jim), David Teer, Brett Troell (Tami), Becky Troell Beatty (Galen), Sarah Troell Meyer (Chad), Mary Troell Simmons (Garry); 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and the greats in Texas and California. Visitation was held from 6 to 8 pm, Monday, April 29, 2013, at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home, 409 N. Tyler, Beeville, Texas. Funeral services were conducted at 2:30 pm, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home Chapel. Pallbearers were Bradley Schmidt, Justin Schmidt, Jim Pool, David Teer, Brett Troell, Galen Beatty, Chad Meyer, Garry Simmons, Wesley Schmidt and Juan Molina.