Avis Clara Markussen

A memorial service to celebrate Avis’ life will be held at 1:00 p.m.on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at Lakewood United Methodist Church, 2443 Abrams Road, Dallas TX 75214.

Avis was the sixth of nine children born in Malcolm, Nebraska on June 6, 1918, to Fred and Stella Schmieding. For the first years of her life, she lived with her maternal grandparents, Ernst and Anna Lange, in Lincoln, Nebraska as she recovered from a lengthy illness. She was later able to return to the home of her parents in Garland, Nebraska at the age of 8. Although she was a very shy child, teachers in her school encouraged her to use her singing talent, and she sang the role of Buttercup in her high school production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. She graduated from Garland High School in 1936.

Avis married the love of her life, Keith Aabel Markussen, in June 1942. She delighted in being a stay-at-home mom to her twin sons, John and Fred, and her daughter, Mary Gwen. When her sons were small, the minister of her church coaxed her into teaching Sunday School by telling her that “Anyone who could raise such wonderful sons would be an excellent teacher.” From that time until well after her retirement, Avis continued to impact the lives of many children as their Sunday School teacher, Cub Scout leader, or Girl Scout leader. In her classes, every child was loved and valued, and her careful planning and creativity made every class unique, fun, and meaningful.

From 1957-1962, Keith and Avis owned the Grandview Restaurant in Aurora, Nebraska, where Avis continuously prepared a large menu and was known for her homemade Roquefort (blue cheese) dressing. In 1962, the family moved to Arizona, where Avis took at position in the school cafeteria, continuing to use her food service management skills while being able to be home with her daughter when school was not in session. Later, she began working as a bookkeeper in the business managed by her husband.

After her husband, Keith, passed away in 1975, Avis relocated to Wood River, Nebraska, working in the accounting office of her son, John. She loved being near her grandchildren, Jay and Jeremy, and was available to babysit at a moment’s notice.

After she retired, she often spent a portion of each cold Nebraska winter in Natchitoches, Louisiana at the home of her daughter Mary Gwen and family. Her step-granddaughters, Kay and Tammy, delighted in coming home from school to find freshly baked cookies and Grandma Avis’ famous brownies.

Avis loved to paint, enjoyed all kinds of crafts, was an excellent seamstress, and always possessed the materials necessary to quickly design and create any costume needed by her children, grandchildren, church or community.

In the last years of her life, Avis lived with her daughter and son-in law, Vincent Zaby. She attended Lakewood United Methodist Church, joyfully singing many of her favorite hymns by memory and smiling enthusiastically through every sermon, organ prelude and choir anthem. She continued to love everyone she met, and they all loved her.

Avis was thankful for the wonderful care she received at the Gardens of Richardson during the last four months of her life. All nursing home and hospice staff members and visitors were consistently met with an “I love you,” the offer of a kiss on the cheek, and a “Thank you for being so good to me!” The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers at the Gardens of Richardson and Hospice Plus for making Avis’ last days so comfortable. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.

Avis was predeceased by seven of her siblings, her husband Keith, her son John Markussen, and John’s wife Karen. Avis is survived by her sister Lois Franklin of La Mesa, California; her sister-in-law Maxine Schmieding of Seward, Nebraska; her son Fred Markussen of Vail, Arizona, his wife Felicia and her two children, Tim and Amber McCloud; her daughter Mary Gwen Zaby and her husband Vincent of Dallas, Texas; her grandsons, Jay and his wife, Michelle, and Jeremy, his wife, Robyn and great-grandsons, Zachary and Hayden; Jay and Jeremy’s mother, Phyllis Markussen; Avis’ step-granddaughters Sandra Kay Kelly Frith and Tammy Kelly Busby and their families, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, Avis’ life can best be honored by memorial donations to the Chancel Choir Fund at Lakewood United Methodist Church in Dallas or to benefit the Sunday School program at First United Methodist Church in Wood River, Nebraska.