Margaret Myrta Sarlls Vanelli

Margaret Myrta Sarlls Vanelli was born on July 9, 1919, the youngest of eight children. Margaret passed away shortly after midnight on April 29, 2020. She was preceded in death by her husband Lewis Vanelli, by her parents Brigid Kavanagh and James Sarlls, by her sisters Agnes, Brigid and Mary, and by her brothers Edward, James, Joseph and Lawrence.

Margaret attended the Wood Hi School and then Patti Welder HS where she played volleyball and softball. Later she gained recognition as a pitcher for the Victoria Rosettes, a ladies league softball team. After the Rosettes beat the Houston team, Margaret was recruited to play for them. But her mother did not like the idea of a young girl living alone in the big city. So Margaret stayed home, continued to play for the Rosettes, and went to work at Levi's Department Store where she met Lewis Vanelli. They married in 1939 and had two children. She never stopped learning and continued her education at Victoria Junior College after the children went off to college.

Margaret was a long time parishioner at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. She made frequent trips to visit her grandchildren in Houston, and in Idaho, and then Alaska, where she eventually lived for several years after Lewis passed away. She also traveled to Mexico City to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and made pilgrimages to religious sites in Portugal and Paris. More recently she has been a parishioner at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Houston.

Margaret is survived by her children, Peggy Cole and husband Kenneth of Big Lake, Alaska and James Vanelli and wife Jackie of Houston, Texas. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Scott Cole, Charles Vanelli, Katie Cole Abraham, Rebecca Cole Panruk, Donald Vanelli, Russell Vanelli, Melanie Cole Pearce and Matthew Middleton. Margaret was blessed with eleven great grandchildren: Aiden, Liliana and Ryon Abraham; Ellyn, Avereigh, Sophia and Aidan Vanelli; Austin, Savanna and Andrew Middleton; and Justin Cole. Margaret leaves a number of nephews and nieces, and their children, all of whom she loved dearly.

Margaret will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Resurrection Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers are John Schell, James Schell, Joseph Sarlls, James Steelhammer, Charles Vanelli, Donald Vanelli, Russell Vanelli and Scott Cole. A memorial service will be scheduled for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Margaret’s name to the Gabriel Project at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church.

Words of comfort may be shared at www.colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com