Gertrude was born on December 26, 1933, in East Bernard, Texas, to Ed and Annie Schattel. When she was 7 years old, her family moved to Houston, Texas. She grew up in the Heights, attending Christ the King Catholic Church and School. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1951. After graduation, she began her career at the US Post Office in downtown Houston, where she worked for ten years. She met her future husband, John, on a blind date in 1957. They were married on November 1, 1958 and were married for 64 years. After the birth of her second child, Gert left the Post Office and focused on raising her family. Gert and John were blessed with four children. After her youngest child started school, she returned to work at the Social Security Administration and retired from that office in 1999.
Gertrude and John were charter members of St Jerome Catholic Church in Houston, where she remained a parishioner until her death. She was active in church and school activities as all four children attended and graduated from St Jerome Catholic School. She was also a lifetime member of KJZT.
Gertrude was the consummate home room mother, meal planner, chore assigner, coupon clipper and bingo player. John and Gert enjoyed traveling with their four kids, where she was known to make sandwiches "on the go" while John continued driving down the road.
Once retired, John and Gert continued to travel, mainly to casinos in Louisiana and to visit her sister in Oregon. She also enjoyed trips to Las Vegas with her sisters. John and Gert continued to be active in the senior groups at St Jerome until her health prevented her from doing so.
Gert loved flowers, especially roses, and often her blooms were the centerpiece on the dinner table.
Gert always loved being with family and looked forward to the Schattel family reunion every year.
The last forty years of her life were blessed with the addition of eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, each one bringing her great joy. Gertrude was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Genevieve Schulte, Dolores Pranger, Patricia Hablizel; and their spouses.
She is survived by her husband, John, her children Annette Manuel (husband Gary), Trudy Herbert (husband Tim), John Laetsch Jr (wife Nicole), and Paul Laetsch (wife Heather), her grandchildren Jennifer, Tim Jr, Rachel, Shelby, Joseph, Ann, Erin, Brandon, PJ, Jay, and Jill, and her great-grandchildren Trace, Audrey, TJ, Chloe, Charlie, Cole, Preston, Ben, Eleanor, Lorelei and Luke. She is also survived by her brother Ed Schattel (wife Donna), brother John Schattel (wife Dagmar) and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, including Theresa, Tommy and Marian.
The family is very appreciative of the staff (who became family) at the Forum Memorial Woods, who cared for Gertrude over the last 3 years, as Alzheimer's disease slowly took her away from us. Their care and love made the long goodbye easier to bear.
Special thanks to neighbors Al and Nancy, who were a great help to John and Gert over the last several years, all of our family and friends who sent cards, visited Gert, offered prayers, and provided comfort and support to our family. These acts of kindness meant more than you know.
Even though Gertrude is gone from our sight, please think of her when you see a beautiful garden, play a game of bingo, drop a quarter in a slot machine and hug your family. She would like that.
Visitation with the family will be held from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., Sunday, July 9, 2023 at Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road, Houston, Texas 77055. The Rosary will be recited at 2:00 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 a.m., Monday at St Jerome Catholic Church, 8825 Kempwood Dr, Houston, Texas 77080. The Rite of Committal will follow at 1:00 p.m. in Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, Texas 77023.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.waltripfuneraldirectors.com for the Laetsch family.
