Mildred Odessa Scheumack passed from this life free of sickness and pain at 2:22 a.m. on the 20th Day of April, 2019 at the age of 92. Odessa spent the final seven years of her life as a resident of the Memory Care Unit at the Wesleyan at Scenic in Georgetown and had resided at 10300 Horace Drive in Austin, TX for many years prior to that time.
Odessa was born on July 23, 1926 in Austin, Texas to Jett Franklin and Matagorda Moore Matthews. Frank and Mata had seven children. Odessa was the third of that group. The family lived in East Austin for most of Odessa’s life. Odessa attended Palm Elementary school, Allen Jr High and Austin High School. She also attended Business College, where she learned typing and shorthand. Odessa met her future husband, Jesse Scheumack, at Faith Tabernacle, in East Austin at an early age. He’s been waiting for her to get to Heaven since August 30th, 2001 and they’ve had a happy reunion by now.
Odessa is survived by her daughter, Marilyn Akers, daughter, Danna and Roland Becton, and son, Jay and Karen Scheumack; grandchildren, Julie and Larry Meek, Jamie and Beckie Akers, Robin Becton, Brynna Vogel, Lisa Becton, Susan and Verlin Lee, and Chris and Nona Scheumack. Odessa was blessed with great grandchildren Ashley Perez Ramos, Ethan Akers, Kevin Meek, Kendra Meek, Kayli Meek, Lauren Vogel, Zachary Akers, Noah Vogel, Ryan Scheumack, Eleanor Scheumack, Isaac Lee, and Hannah Lee as well as four great, great grandchildren. She is also survived by brothers, Milton Matthews and Richard Matthews and numerous nieces and nephews.
Odessa is predeceased by her loving husband Jesse Scheumack, son-in-law Butch Akers, granddaughters Sara Becton and Gina Becton, parents Frank and Mata Matthews, brothers and sister, W. M. Matthews, Inez Brown, Frank Matthews, and Melvin Matthews.
Odessa was a stenographer and secretary, then helped her sister, Inez, when Inez opened her first nursing home. This led Odessa to become one of the early licensed nursing home administrators in Texas. She was a member of the Salvation Army during her youth and served others her whole life, be it in church, her family, or other organizations. Most importantly, Odessa accepted Jesus Christ as her savior and Lord at an early age and along with her Husband, led their children into a relationship with Christ that has been carried down through the generations.
Shopping was a really BIG passion and Odessa passed that gene down! She also had a love of southern gospel music and her favorites were the Happy Goodman Family. Odessa was blessed with an abundance of impatience. She told us we did not get any of our impatience from her though, because she still had all of her’s.
Odessa was truly a Proverbs 31 woman. She was worth far more than rubies. She brought good and not harm, made beautiful clothes for her children and grandchildren, cooked huge meals for her entire family every Sunday and for every church function for years. She made tacos, roast and potatoes, stroganoff and her holiday cooking and baking was delicious. She was a sharp business woman and worked long and hard. Odessa was not too proud to help mop the nursing home floors or help in the kitchen and in the wings. She was clothed in strength and dignity and her smile and laughter were treasured. Her children called her blessed and her husband praised her. We are honored that she was ours.
Odessa was proud of her children, but her grandchildren were the apple of her eye. She would, and did, do anything for them and all of them grew up completely in love with their Grandma. They had Easter egg hunts, summers at the lake, Thanksgiving feasts, the best Christmases ever, and fabulous birthdays.
We will forever love, cherish and miss Mom, Grandma, Sister, and Aunt “Dessa” more than we can express.
Odessa had an unwavering faith in God and she is in a far better place now. God turned her darkness into light - Psalm 18:28. He covered her with His feathers, under His wings she found refuge; His faithfulness was her shield and rampart – Psalm 91:4. Even though she walked through the darkest valley, she did not fear evil, for He was with her and His rod and His staff comforted her – Psalm 23:4.
