Donald Schoppe

A Mass of Christian Burial for Donald Lee Schoppe, 82, of Pasadena will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Caldwell at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 6, 2016 with Msgr. Leonard Pivonka officiating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery. A visitation will be held at Strickland Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, August 5, 2016, with a Rosary at 7:00.
Donald Lee Schoppe, age 82 of Pasadena, TX passed away July 28, 2016 after a lengthy illness. Donald was born on July 21, 1934 in Caldwell, TX where he grew up and graduated from Caldwell High School in 1952. While attending Texas A&M University in 1955 he married the love of his life, Lillie Ann Matejka. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1956 with a BS degree in Range & Forestry he worked in Post, TX and Tuscan, AZ before enlisting in the US Air Force. While in the Air Force he and Lillie Ann had short stays in Denver, CO and Kansas City, MO. Except for a brief engagement with Lockheed, Donald spent the remainder of his career with the Air National Guard stationed at Ellington AFB in Houston, TX. In 1986 he suffered a disabling injury at work which ended his working career and caused him to endure several major surgeries with lengthy rehabilitation from which he never fully recovered.
In 2005 Donald was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease which ultimately took his life. For the last 11 years of his life he resided at the Pine Tree Assisted Living facility in Pasadena, TX.
Donald was a devoted husband and Father. While in Houston, he and Lillie Ann raised their family of three children, Mark Lee, Judy Ann, and Tina Marie. He provided support for many of his children's activities including little league baseball, cheerleading, rodeos, and FFA.
As a youth Donald was active in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Caldwell, played the trumpet in the Caldwell High School band, and enjoyed outdoor activities such as hunting and trapping. As an adult he continued hunting, fishing, and camping with his family and friends. He especially enjoyed family vacations to many states with trips to Alaska, Yellowstone National Park, and the Durango, CO area being among his favorites. He and his wife travelled to Hawaii. He loved dancing and his favorite band was Vrazel"s Polka Band. One of his favorite ways to pass time was to watch western movies. While residing at the Pine Tree Assisted Living facility he was known as "Cowboy" due to the western hat he wore most of the time.
Donald was always a hard worker doing most repair and maintenance work himself. One of his biggest achievements was the development of a mobile home park business which he built almost entirely himself with very little assistance from outside his family. He was always willing to help others when needed.
He was preceded in death by his wife Lillie Ann and parents Lee and Emily Schoppe; sister, Gloria Kocurek; and great grandchild, Gemma Rose Carrell.
Donald is survived by his son Mark and wife Karen of Magnolia, TX; daughters and son-in-law, Judy Schoppe of Friendswood, TX, Tina and Sergio Pennica of Pearland, TX; sisters Geraldine Pivonka of Caldwell, TX, Barbara & Isadore Shenkir of College Station, TX, Margaret Joyce Turman of Stafford, TX, Mary Jo Mosser of San Antonio, TX; and grandchildren, Shannon Schoppe, Matthew Schoppe, Wesley Schoppe, Brian Schoppe, Valerie Carrell, Natalie Pennica, and Travis Pennica.
Pallbearers will be Matthew Schoppe, Wesley Schoppe, Brian Schoppe, Greg Turman, Emmanuel J. Mosser, and John Shenkir.

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