Bernice Bertha Chumchal

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, June 26 at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home in Houston. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 3 p.m. Friday, June 27 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, with the Rev. Eddie Winkler officiating. Music Ministers are Brenda and Frank Petras.

Graveside services/burial will follow at the Shiner Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers are Larry Blume (godson and nephew), Chad Nelson (grandson), David Nitsch Jr. (grandson), David Nitsch Sr. (son-in-Law), Dr. Zac Smith (husband of granddaughter), and Zachary Smith Jr. (great-grandson). Honorary pallbearers are Bradley Blume (nephew) and Frank Petras (a godson and nephew).

She was born July 6, 1919 in the Vlastenec community of Shiner, to the late Louis and Ida Blume. She was baptized on Oct. 5, 1919, in Dr. Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Shiner. She attended the Michna country school, Alamo Beauty College in San Antonio and became a licensed beautician in 1939. She opened the Blue Room Beauty shop in Nordheim and later moved the shop to Runge, Texas.

She married husband Emil Robert Chumchal in the St. Anthony Catholic Church in Runge, Texas, Aug. 14, 1945, after Emil was released from WWII Army duty. In 1946, they moved to Houston, where Emil worked in the furniture business and Bernice became a mother of three and housewife. She spent many years walking her neighborhood marketing Avon products. Upon their retirement, they moved back to their hometown of Shiner in January, 1977, to enjoy retirement.

She was a member of the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish Altar Society, Catholic Daughters and Our Lady of Fatima Association. She was a member and served as an officer for the VFW Auxiliary for many years and won many awards for her scrapbooks, which she also made for the local schools and charities.

Bernice left behind many loving and caring nephews and nieces. Special thanks to all the people too numerous to name for all the support of Bernice and the family.

Survivors include one daughter, Diana M. Nitsch of Houston; one son, Emil John Chumchal, Jr. of Houston; her only sibling brother, Clarence Blume and wife Vernita of Shiner; eight grandchildren, David M. Nitsch, Jr., Cassandra Smith, Chad and Robert Nelson, Emily, Joseph, Noah, and Camille Chumchal; and nine great-grandchildren, Zachary, Jr., Madlyn, SaraGrace and Sadie Smith; Zane and Bree Nitsch; Elijah and Ezra Andrews; Savannah Giambrone.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Emil R. Chumchal, Sept. 20, 1998; daughter, Marilyn Nelson, Oct. 29, 2005; her father, Sept. 4, 1981; her mother, Aug. 27, 1963; and son-in-law Danny Nelson, Aug. 29, 2006.