Mary Schimming

Mary Catherine entered this world on Sunday, November 27, 1927 in the small village of Galbraith, Louisiana. Welcomed into a large Catholic family, she was the eighth of nine children, born to her parents, Joseph & Rosa Brossette Rachal. Mary's father, Joseph, descended from French lineage who generations before had settled along the Cane River . They were planters and small plantation owners. Joseph, himself, was born in 1867 during the reformation of the South. He and his wife, Rosa, who was 20 years his junior, worked their fingers to the bone farming cotton-now sharecroppers on land that they themselves would never own. Times on that old river were hard and the family leaned on each other and their deep Catholic faith. They struggled through the Great Depression and then again through WW II. Having been brought up during such hard times, Mary understood the value of a dollar earned. She was more apt to lend a hand up rather than give a hand out. Mary went to parochial school in Cloutierville. Later, she attended beauty school in Alexandria where upon completion she set out for Texas. She settled in Lake Jackson where she spent most all the rest of her life working as a beautician and raising her family. Mary was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. She enjoyed helping out with church activities and was a member of the Altar Society. She was also a long standing member of the Ladies Auxiliary for the VFW. Her other joys were working in her yard, playing dominos, visiting with friends and family, listening to music, cheering on her Astros, and traveling whenever she got the chance. Perhaps her greatest joy was to cook for people who loved to eat what she loved to cook. Her homemade gumbo, red beans and rice, oxtail soup, cornbread, pies, pound cake, and ice tea will be sorely missed. Those who got to know Mary knew this much about her: though she was not an overly talkative person, she was also not one to mince words. You never had to guess where things stood with her. She would let you know soon enough. She lived out her last days at Elmcroft Senior Assisted Living Facility in Lake Jackson, Texas. She was often visited by friends and family. On Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, at the age of 87, Mary Catherine Schimming took her last breath. She is preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Schimming, her parents, and her siblings, Ethel Rachal, Joseph Rachal Jr., Edward Rachal, Mattie Roberts, Daisy Williams, and Odelia McRight. She is survived by her sisters, Roberta Hernandez of Marco, La. and Bernadine Trumps of Alexandria, La.; son, Gregory Galetka (Sonya); daughters, Emilie McCuistion (Scott), Catherine Gorum; grandchildren, Jason Galetka, JoLee Rachal Galetka, Avery McCuistion, Myer McCuistion, Grant Gorum, Courtney Crouch, ; Step Grandchildren, Margret Choate & Travis Eli Choate; 3 Great Grandchildren and 5 Step- Great Grandchildren, numerous nieces & nephews. Following cremation a rosary and memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015 at 1:00 pm with Father Tin Pham officiating. Mary's remains will be interred at Restwood Memorial Park in Lake Jackson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's name to St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Brazoria.

To plant a tree in memory of Mary Catherine Schimming, visit the Tribute Store .