Valera Buschick Milvo

Valera Joan Bushick Milvo, 90, died Monday, February 22, 2016.

Val will be remembered by her family and friends during visitation from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on February 26, 2016 at Roy Akers funeral home, 515 N. Main Ave., San Antonio, TX 78205 with Rosary being said at 7:00 p.m. Her funeral service and Mass of Resurrection will be February 27, 2016, 11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas More Church, 4411 Moana Drive, San Antonio, 78218, followed by interment in the Bushick family plot at San Fernando Catholic Cemetery II.

Valera was born January 12, 1926, in San Antonio. She was the youngest of 5 children born to Charles and Anna Bushick and a fifth-generation Texan, her family having settled in San Antonio in 1829 when it was still a small mission under Mexican governance. Valera’s mother died when she was three and her father and grandparents, Minnie and Frank Bushick, raised her on Camden Street in downtown San Antonio, with her siblings and cousin Bobby. She attended St. Mary’s Parochial School, run by the Sisters of Divine Providence, through High School, graduating in 1943. She remained single until she was 34. During this time, she began to build her fiercely independent nature. She worked at CPS for 13 years from 1944-1957 and Texas Pharmaceuticals. She made many life-long friends who she lived with and traveled often with and she was “Aunt Vava” to her many nieces and nephews. She was a member of The Josephs Catholic Youth Organization as a young adult. She had fond memories of these things that she shared throughout her life.

Val was an amazing mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and woman. She touched many lives with her great faith, love and caring. In 1959, she married John Milvo and became mother to Pat, Larry and Heidi. She loved them dearly and appreciated their continued love and presence in her life. She was a military wife, living in Frais Fontaines, France for three years and was president of the Officers and Civilians Wives Club while there. In 1966, she found herself single again, this time with 5 young children to raise on her own. She carried on and raised Mike, Kathy, Betsy, Nancy and Anna with the support of her family, friends and just good people, but predominantly by reliance on God Himself through constant prayer. And God responded by regularly sending His Angels here on Earth to her aid. Valera worked hard to support the goal of a better life for her children. She worked at Traveler’s Insurance for 25 years from 1966 until the office closed in 1991. She was a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church for 40 years from 1971 until 2011 and served on the Parish Counsel. She made certain that her children attended St. Thomas More School and she volunteered with their activities, being active in, and president of, the PTC at St. Thomas More School, volunteering at school and parish festivals, activities for Central Catholic and Providence High Schools, being active with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and any other activities they were involved in. Her intelligence, determination and skill were recognized throughout the community. These things were in addition to the regular “mom” duties of shuttling kids around, shopping, cooking, and the “numerous things a mother does that only God ever finds out about.” She took the family on regular vacations to Corpus Christi where we stayed and visited with her dear friends Maxine and Bill Skrobarczyk and their children and sometimes camped on the beach.

She was an excellent mother who never dawdled in self-pity – or allowed it, who never said it was impossible to accomplish one’s goals and who was a staunch supporter and encourager of her children. She valued faith and education above all things she could give her children and worked very hard to instill those values.

Val made dear and true friends at St. Thomas More, especially appreciating these friendships after her children were grown. She was a member of the Guadalupanos and a devoted believer in the intervention of the Blessed Mother. She enjoyed daily Mass and Rosary and regular visits over breakfast tacos and coffee after with friends. Following retirement, Valera became active at Lion’s Field Senior Citizens Center where she met more friends, enjoyed art classes and volunteered at the gift shop. She was honored by the City of San Antonio as the Volunteer of the Year for her volunteer service at Lion’s Field. She medaled in shuffleboard in the local Senior Olympics. It was at Lion’s Field as well that she rediscovered her love of painting and demonstrated this with beautiful works of landscapes, birds and still-lifes that we only wish we had more of. She also enjoyed playing bingo regularly and continued her lifelong diversions of reading and crosswords. She was a lifelong blood donor, donating regularly until she could not any longer.

She enjoyed keeping up with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and going to visit them or having them visit. She enjoyed going to the beach with her children and grandchildren and playing board games and she will retain her title as “Queen of Yahtzee.”

Among those who preceded her in death and welcoming her now in Heaven are her parents and grandparents and her siblings, Ann Marie Haberer, Katherine Powers, Betty Billings and Charles “Bud” Bushick.

Valera was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by her children and children-in-law, Pat and George Herring of Hillsboro, Larry and Norma Milvo of Oklahoma City, OK, Heidi and Jim McAnulty of Tulsa, OK, Mike and Leslie Milvo of Austin, Kathy Milvo of Saco, ME, Betsy Milvo of San Antonio, Nancy and John Turner of Amarillo and Anna Clemenson of Naperville, IL; by her grandchildren and spouses, Lisa and Eric Mitchell, Renee and Jay Fraze, Natalie and Jason Meeks, Jamie McAnulty, Sarah Turner, Zach Milvo, Jack Turner, Shelly Milvo, Wyatt Clemenson, and Charlie Turner; by her great-grandchildren Meredith Mitchell, Reagan, Garrin and Evan Fraze and Reed and Roan Meeks; and by many dear nieces, nephews and friends.

The family would like to thank the past and current doctors and staff of McCullough Hall Nursing Center at Our Lady of the Lake University, the resident Sisters for their prayers and to all her visitors, but especially our cousin, Chris Powers, for his dedication of prayer and visitation.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to McCullough Hall Nursing Center at OLLU or to one of the organizations Val was dedicated to, such as, St. Thomas More School or Church, Lion’s Field, Providence High School or Central Catholic High School.