Elvin J Schofield, long time resident of San Antonio, Texas, died on April 12, 2021. He and Roxanna recently moved to Bedford, Texas. He was born on July 6, 1937 in Graham, Texas. He graduated from West Texas State University in 1959 and later returned to the same university to earn an MBA degree. During college he married his high school sweetheart, Roxanna (Ledbetter) McJimsey.
The Schofield family moved to San Antonio from Amarillo in 1972. He was employed by the National Bank of Commerce and NBC of Texas and retired as a Senior Vice President. Later he was employed by the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind where he retired as Executive Vice President in 2001. He was active in the US Army Reserve and retired as a Major General. Elvin was also active in civic and professional organizations at the local, state and national levels. He was Former Commander of the 90th ARCOM, President of 90th Division Association, Chairman of Texas ESGR Committee, US Army Reserve Ambassador for Texas; American Marketing Association; San Antonio Founders Lions Club
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Vivian (Orme) Schofield and three sisters, LaVonia Mae Lee (Mona) , Marvarine Schofield (Tensie) and Melva Jo Flowers(Jody).
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Roxanna; daughter, Janna Schofield of Euless, Texas; daughter, Suzanne Huff and her husband Kyle of Euless, Texas; three grandsons, Jay Walbran and wife Amie of Euless, Texas; Aaron Spieler and his wife Allyson of Grand Junction, Colorado; and Alex Spieler of Yonkers, New York; one great grandson, Parker Walbran; brother-in-law George McJimsey and his wife Martha of Amarillo, Texas; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Services are scheduled at J.E. Foust and Sons Funeral Chapel, 523 S Main St., Grapevine, 76051 on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 10 am.
Visitation: prior to the service, 9AM-10AM
Burial: DFW National Cemetery, 1PM, April 26, 2021 (Lane A). See the directions on how to attend the burial at the National Cemetery on the Foust website. Services will be live streamed at both the chapel and the cemetery. Please check back a day or two before the services for the link.
The services will be officiated by, BG (R), James Spivey
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to: Colonial Hills United Methodist Church Permanent Endowment Fund 5247 Vance Jackson
San Antonio, Texas 78230
or
the 90th Division Association
PO Box 125
Nevada, IA 50201-0125
Pallbearers:
Jay Walbran,
Aaron Spieler
Alex Spieler
Kyle Huff
Jim Schofield
Robert Schofield
Honorary Pallbearers:
Dick Porter
Bobbye Porter
Olin (Findley) Brewster
Larry Coker
Bill Hartman
Ralph Doughty
Anne Ownby
Phil Freeman
Rudy Purificato
Ben Schrader
Bill Stockton
Judy Grojean
New Covenant Sunday School Class of Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, San Antonio, TX
Selected Words of Wisdom used by Elvin J. Schofield
• Integrity is non-negotiable.
• Become a “Life-Long Learner”. Help others to do the same.
• A sense of purpose is a critical key to success as is a sense of humor.
• Success is not measured by wealth but rather through a meaningful relationship.
• Balance new ideas with core beliefs—This is moral judgement.
• Challenge builds character.
• Adversity builds character.
• Character is the most valuable asset.
• Be humble.
• “Look someone in the eye and give them a firm handshake”.
The following stories were written by Elvin
BEFORE Google maps was around.
Selected tidbits demonstrating Persistence in meeting a Challenge.
During the year 2004 I saw a series of TV commercials featuring the Ford 150 pickup. During the commercials two Texas Highway signs (FM 1155 and 2447) were shown. I wondered where the signs were located so I started a search to solve the mystery and to meet the challenge as follows:
• Took the Official Texas Highway map and did a careful analysis by quadrants at least 6 times, to no avail.
• Called local TXDOT office requesting assistance, to no avail.
• Studied map several more times, to no avail.
• Contacted Ford Motor Company by email for assistance and was referred to their advertising agency in Canada who told me that the signs were fictitious and in fact did not exist. I did not believe them, so the search continued.
• Went to the TXDOT office on Loop 410 and Callaghan in San Antonio and finally got someone who would help. We studied several reference books with maps of each county in Texas. Finally, after 45 minutes of looking, we located both highways in Washington County, near Brenham. (Home of Blue Bell Ice Cream.)
• On March 26, 2006, while returning from Nacogdoches, where we watched Jay play football during the SFA Spring training final game, we found both highways!!! Roxanna saw the signs first.
• The Signs are located in Chappell Hill; off Highway 290 between Brenham and Hempstead.
Mission accomplished!!! Persistence Paid Off.
Another tidbit:
During the opening and closing scenes in the movie Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks, the FedEx Delivery truck stopped at an intersection. The challenge was to learn where that intersection is located. Here is what I did to meet the challenge:
• Determined that the intersection was Texas FM 1268 and CR 5.
• By observation decided that the location had to be in the Panhandle due to the flat terrain.
• Studied the Texas Highway map.
• Called the Chamber of Commerce in Canadian, Texas. (closest town to the intersection)
• Contacted Ford Motor Company by email for assistance and was referred to their advertising agency in Canada who told me that the signs were fictitious and in fact did not exist. I did not believe them, so the search continued.
• Went to the TXDOT office on Loop 410 and Callaghan in San Antonio and finally got someone who would help. We studied several reference books with maps of each county in Texas. Finally, after 45 minutes of looking, we located both highways in Washington County, near Brenham. (Home of Blue Bell Ice Cream.)
• On March 26, 2006, while returning from Nacogdoches, where we watched Jay play football during the SFA Spring training final game, we found both highways!!! Roxanna saw the signs first.
• The Signs are located in Chappell Hill; off Highway 290 between Brenham and Hempstead.
Mission accomplished!!! Persistence Paid Off.
Another tidbit:
During the opening and closing scenes in the movie Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks, the FedEx Delivery truck stopped at an intersection. The challenge was to learn where that intersection is located. Here is what I did to meet the challenge:
• Determined that the intersection was Texas FM 1268 and CR 5.
• By observation decided that the location had to be in the Panhandle due to the flat terrain.
• Studied the Texas Highway map.
• Called the Chamber of Commerce in Canadian, Texas. (closest town to the intersection)
• Studied map several more times, to no avail.
• Contacted Ford Motor Company by email for assistance and was referred to their advertising agency in Canada who told me that the signs were fictitious and in fact did not exist. I did not believe them, so the search continued.
• Went to the TXDOT office on Loop 410 and Callaghan in San Antonio and finally got someone who would help. We studied several reference books with maps of each county in Texas. Finally, after 45 minutes of looking, we located both highways in Washington County, near Brenham. (Home of Blue Bell Ice Cream.)
• On March 26, 2006, while returning from Nacogdoches, where we watched Jay play football during the SFA Spring training final game, we found both highways!!! Roxanna saw the signs first.
• The Signs are located in Chappell Hill; off Highway 290 between Brenham and Hempstead.
Mission accomplished!!! Persistence Paid Off.
Another tidbit:
During the opening and closing scenes in the movie Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks, the FedEx Delivery truck stopped at an intersection. The challenge was to learn where that intersection is located. Here is what I did to meet the challenge:
• Determined that the intersection was Texas FM 1268 and CR 5.
• By observation decided that the location had to be in the Panhandle due to the flat terrain.
• Studied the Texas Highway map.
• Called the Chamber of Commerce in Canadian, Texas. (closest town to the intersection)
• The folks at the Chamber were very helpful and told me exactly where the intersection was located. They also told me that the house used in the film is now a Bed and Breakfast. They gave me the telephone number. (The Chamber had been involved with the production crew during the filming.)
• We decided to visit the site on our next trip to Amarillo to attend Roxanna’s Ledbetter/McJimsey family reunion.
• Called the B&B to get reservations, but they were booked up.
• Visited the intersection. Took photos of the intersection, as well as the house.
Mission Accomplished!
And another:
In 1943, I entered First Grade in Lefors, Texas, which is about 15 miles east of Pampa located in the Panhandle of Texas. Our family lived at “the Web” about 20 miles east of Lefors. The Web consisted of a small schoolhouse, that had been closed as a result of consolidation of school districts, a bus barn, and a small house where we lived. The closest neighbor was about 2 miles away. My dad taught at the Lefors Schools and drove the school bus from the Web each day. For many years I tried to locate this early childhood abode, to no avail. Here are some of the actions I took:
• In the 1960’s, while working for Southwestern Public Service Company of Amarillo, my territory included the entire Panhandle region. On more than one occasion I would drive around the area where I thought the Web was located, to no avail.
• I continued my search while on a “Going down Memory Lane” trip to the area, with Roxanna and my sister, Mona,to no avail.
• Contacted the Lefors Schools who referred me to Gray County Historical Society in Pampa who referred me to a local rancher near Lefors.
• Bingo!!! The rancher was helpful, saying he knew exactly where the Web was located. He offered to take me to the site.
• While traveling to Amarillo to attend Roxanna’s family reunion, we visited the Web. There was no trace of the house or bus barn. The school building was gone except for the foundation and retaining wall. I called Mona and told her, “We found it!!”
Another Mission Accomplished!!!
And one more:
In 1854, a group of pioneer families established a church, a school, and a cemetery in Tarrant County (near Fort Worth, Texas). The church was named in honor of the Reverend Green Washington Minter. It was known as the Minter’s Chapel. The church became the focal point of the community, which later became Grapevine, Texas. In 1967, the church was moved, but not the cemetery. The church was on what is now the DFW airport.
Roxanna’s Aunt Gladys (Hodges) and Uncle Eldon Ledbetter grew up the Grapevine are. They met and married in Minter’s Chapel in the early 1920’s. Janna and Jay moved to Grapevine in 1991 so I had the opportunity to locate Minter’s Chapel. Here is what happened:
• Heard the stories many times and even visited with Aunt Gladys and other members of the family as to the whereabouts of Minter’s Chapel. Grew more interested as time went on.
• Studied maps of the area. Located “Minter’s Road” but the Expressway and commercial developments were such that Minter’s Chapel could not be located.
• Continued the search. Janna joined in and followed up on some leads, to no avail.
• We did locate and visit the cemetery.
• Checked with the local Historical Society, to no avail.
• On a rainy day, after having spent the night with Janna and Jay, Roxanna and I continued our trip to Enid, OK to visit Mona. On a “lark” I stopped by the White Chapel (a large Methodist Church) in Grapevine, to continue the search. During the visit, an Associate Pastor gave us some clues that we followed. Our trip to Enid was being delayed. After several dead ends and some telephone calls to the District office, we received a positive lead and were able to locate Minter’s Chapel. It is now a small Methodist Church with a rich heritage.
• To our great surprise, it was located within one block of the Colleyville Heritage High School where Jay and Amie graduated. In fact, Roxanna, Janna and I had sat on the street curb just across from the church to watch the High School Homecoming Parade Jay’s senior year. We could have seen the Historical Marker sign that was in front of the church had we known to look.
• We arrived in Enid about 4 hours late but……………………
Another Challenge was met proving once again that Persistence Pays!!
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