Frank Crain Schleicher

Frank Crain Schleicher, 95, was called home to heaven on November 20, 2006. A resident of Austin since 1970, he was born in Cuero, Texas on February 10, 1911 to Fletcher Stockdale Schleicher and Angeline Genevive (Viva) Crain Schleicher. He is preceded in death by his parents and his younger sister, Elizabeth Angeline (Anne) Schleicher Steinmann. He is survived by his beloved wife, Doris Nicholls Schleicher, two sons and their wives: Frank Crain Schleicher, II, and Martha of Austin, and Barry Michel Schleicher and Joan of Spring, TX. Franco’s children and step-children are James Hay Schleicher, Paul Frank Schleicher, and Andrew Norman Sorrell and wife Roxanne, all of Austin, and Virginia Sorrell Lynn, husband Scott, and children Isabelle, Emma, Henry and Eleanor of Winston-Salem, NC. Barry’s children are Barry John Schleicher and wife Gersende of California, MD., Steven Crain Schleicher and wife Melinda of Sugarland, TX, and Elizabeth Joan Schleicher Sanders, husband Daniel and son Kaleb of Spring, TX. Frank is also survived by four sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Frank felt especially blessed to have family members living in the same retirement community: Eileen Crain Sullivan, Nancy Nicholls McKesson, and Virginia Nicholls McCollum Frank spent his childhood in Cuero and Victoria. After high school he attended business school and was employed by Humble Oil in San Antonio as a secretary. In 1936 he graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Civil Engineering and an Army commission. He was hired by Standard Oil of New Jersey to work for Creole Petroleum Co. in Venezuela. Frank was a life long member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. On a vacation to the United States in 1939, Frank met the love of his life, the beautiful Doris Nicholls of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He returned the next year to marry her on December 26, 1940. Together they made lifelong friends in Venezuela and refer to those years as “Camelot.” During World War II he was called into service with the Army Corps of Engineers and spent three years in the India-Burma Theater building airports for a possible alternative route to Japan. He was awarded a Bronze Star and was honorably discharged as a Major. Frank stayed busy after retirement in Austin. A lifelong Roman Catholic, he was one of the original members of St John Newman Catholic Church and was a devoted member until his death. The sacristy is named in his honor. Frank and Doris enjoyed extensive travel in the United States, visiting all but two states. They visited friends and family while collecting genealogical information, one of his many hobbies. Frank was a member of Sierra Club, Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Texas Republic and a friend of the Jamestown Society. Services will be held at St. John Newman Church at 10 AM on Wednesday November 22nd with burial following at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in San Antonio at 1:45 PM, with Fr. Jim Evans and Fr. Kirby Gardner officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the St John Neumann Building fund in Frank’s name or to a charity of your choice. The family would like to extend a special thanks to all the staff at the Summit Healthcare center who took such good care of our patriarch, Frank. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com