Josephine R. Schum

Born Sept. 10, 1930, Died July 10, 2011

Memorial Service at Cook-Walden Funeral Home in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, July 19,2011 at 6:00pm.

Josephine “Pokey” Schum was born in Ft. Worth to parents Corneilius Carr Reagan and Josephine Hutzler Reagan in 1930. She spent her formative years in Mansfield and Ft. Worth, and graduated from Pascal High in 1948. Jo made her career as an executive secretary ,beginning work for radio and television stations KTBC/KLBJ respectively, in the late 1950’s, working with Cactus Pryor and Bill Moyer, among other notables. She then worked for Senator Criss Cole and Senator Jim Wallace in the 70’s at our state’s capitol. She was very active at Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin for many, many years. She tirelessly worked for non-profits in subsequent decades including March of Dimes, National Audubon Society, and Easter Seals. She finished her secretarial career at the University of Texas at Austin for the Community College Leadership Program.

First and foremost, she was a loving mother, and enjoyed being a grandmother. She had a love of the arts, most often attending concerts and plays. She was a member of the Schubert Music Club in Brownwood, Tx. in the 70’s. Her biggest dream was to travel to Australia and Japan someday, both of which came true. She was a truly empathetic, compassionate and gracious person to her family, friends, and people that she met. She could always lend an ear to someone in need and was able to make anyone feel comfortable in any situation. Her family always said, “She never met a stranger.” Jo Schum was 80 when she died surrounded by family. She had been residing in Arlington, Tx; with her daughter Kellye “Ricki” and her family for the last year and a half.

She is survived by two former husbands, John Hall and David Schum, daughter Karin Ashcraft, son Dr. David Kent Schum, D.C., and daughter Kellye “Ricki” Klos, their spouses, eight grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. She will be so very missed.