Loyce June Kasparik

Born: November 17, 1924, in Houston, Texas

Died: When she was good and ready (which was May 21, 2022) in Kingwood, Texas

If you do the math, she was 97 years young.

Loyce was the youngest daughter of William Benjamin McCracken and Minnie Ethel Rogers. She had 2 older sisters, Ethel Pangarakis and Dorothy Crump.

She often told the stories of her most favorite memories as a child. 1) She loved her mother and her mother’s cooking. Her mother would make her favorite meal - beef enchiladas, especially during the holidays. She would be sent to the store to buy ground beef – some of which would not make it home because she would eat it fresh from the butcher shop. To get the corn tortillas, she would get to walk along and across the railroad tracks by Brooks St. to the next neighborhood. 2) One year, her dad gave her some clip-on roller skates. With those on, her mother rarely knew where she was – often flying down the Main St. tunnel into downtown Houston.

Loyce graduated from Jefferson Davis High School, where she was a proud member of the Carlton Cadets.

Loyce married Leslie James Kasparik in 1943. They were married for 21 years until they divorced in 1964. Together, they had 2 children – Leslie Loyce Morris and Raymond James Kasparik.

During WWII, Loyce went to work in an ammunition factory making shells for large guns. She learned she liked working with her hands. She began working for Gulf Printing Company and quickly rose to become a printer’s apprentice and then a printer. She was proud to earn respect as an equal in a male-dominated industry. She later worked for the Houston Post and Chas P. Young before retiring as the age of digital publishing replaced typeset printing.

When not working the night shift, Loyce was busy with hobbies, travel, and projects. She was part of a bowling team for about 60 years, beginning as a member of the Sons of Hermann. She was skilled in furniture caning and reupholstery and home remodeling. She loved to travel and was able to visit China, Russia, the Scandinavian region, most countries in Europe, England, Ireland, and Scotland, as well as much of the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. She had a very competitive spirit and a penchant for poker and the slots. She visited Vegas and Lake Charles as often as she could. She also enjoyed hunting and fishing. For some years, she owned a bay house in Hitchcock where she would spend time with family and friends on her boat while her mother would set crab traps from the safety of dry land. She was a big fan of the Houston Astros and the Houston Oilers and loved to watch the games with family and friends. If you ever tried to play dominoes with her, you quickly found that you could not prevail.

In retirement, she became a volunteer for Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital. She admired the hospital volunteer group that held ukulele performances for patients. She taught herself to play the ukulele so she could join in and uplift through music. Though computers may have encouraged her retirement, she didn’t let technology defeat her. Ever more determined, she bought herself a computer and learned to use it. She was surfing, shopping, and emailing in no time at all!

Loyce (Granny, as she became known) is preceded in death by her parents, Minnie and William, her sisters, Ethel and Dorothy, and her son, Raymond. She is survived by her daughter, Leslie Loyce and spouse Gordon Morris, her grandchildren - Michael Kelley and spouse Tracy, Erin Selvera and spouse Donovan, Amy Ramirez and spouse Victor, William Morris and spouse Sharon, Melissa Tobin and spouse Thomas, Frances Helen Kasparik-Luthe and spouse Larry, her great-grandchildren - Dustin, Wyatt, Victor Jr., Ryan, Alexander, Everly, John Alden, Jamie, Ian, Bryce, and Kyle, as well as nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Granny will be remembered as a strong, independent woman who was practical, thoughtful, creative, and very caring.

A visitation for Loyce will be held Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd, Houston, Texas 77008, followed by a celebration of life service at 3:00 PM.

If attending her celebration of life service, you are encouraged to wear something pink, her favorite color.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.heightsfuneralhome.com for the Kasparik family.