Venita Fitts Mrok

Venita Fitts Mrok, 87, died on Tuesday, June 2, 2015. She was born near Linden in Cass County, Texas, on May 16, 1928 to Johnnie Reece and Ida Mae Castner Welsh Fitts, the eldest of four children and a fourth generation Texan. Growing up on the farm during the Great Depression grounded her well-known strength of character, her creative arts, and her faith.

Venita had a lifelong love of reading, lifelong learning, all genres of music, and travel. She attended primary school in a traditional one-room school house and graduated cum laude from Linden High School at 16. She later attended the University of Houston to study art. She devoted her life to making the world a more beautiful place. She was a renowned hostess and cook, instilling that love of good food shared with friends and family in her children and grandchildren. For many gatherings her legendary Russian Loaf Cake took center stage.

She enjoyed sports. In her youth she was a good softball player and later developed into a pretty good golfer. She was a volunteer scorekeeper and her sons’ biggest cheerleader through their years of playing Little League and school sports.

During World War II, she built bombs at the Red River Army Depot near Texarkana and remained a fierce patriot throughout her life. Postwar, she was one of the first air stewardesses for Braniff Airlines in Houston. She was a fashionista before it was a word. She owned her own sewing and dress design business while raising her family. Later she worked in banking, catering, and party rental business. She and husband Leo started a family business, Superior Rentals and Design, in their retirement years.

She met Leo Mrok, a Holland, MI native, U.S. Army veteran, and the love of her life, on a blind date in 1947. They married in 1949 at St. Mary’s Church, Houston, and had six children. Theirs was a lively household. Throughout their lives, Venita and Leo were active in their community. She was Mom to many and friend to many more. They were founding members of St. Thomas More Parish.

Venita is survived by a large and extended family, including daughters Anne Mrok-Smith and children, Meagan and John-Alexander, and Susan O'Sullivan (Dean) of Austin; sons Leo Mrok, Jr., and Erik Mrok (Noni) and children, Bianca, Reece, Nichole, and Michelle Vaklavik (Jordan); sister Mary Stephenson (Bill) of Naples, FL, sister-in-law Marlene R. Fitts of Carthage, TX, goddaughter Hillary Stevenson of Washington D.C., Helen Presser of Las Vegas, NV, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by husband Leo; daughters Elaine Mrok and Jane Mrok; sister Anna Katherine Fitts Studebaker, brother Horace H. Fitts, and parents Johnnie Reece and Ida Mae Fitts of Linden, TX.

Services will be held at 12:30 PM Friday, June 5, 2015 in the Memorial Oaks Chapel. Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM in the chapel prior to services. Interment will follow in Memorial Oaks Cemetery.

Deacon Edwin Gosline, St. Thomas More, will officiate. Pallbearers are Leo Mrok Jr., Erik Mrok, Dean O'Sullivan, Harry Anglin, John-Alexander Smith, and Reece Mrok. Honorary pallbearer is Deputy Constable Calvet C. Shelley (Ret.).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Thomas More Church, 10330 Hillcroft, Houston, TX 77096, The Wildlife Center of Texas, 7007 Katy Rd, Houston, TX 77024, or charity of one's choice.