Hildegard Olivia Schwartz Mikulik, 99 years, six months, and three days left this earth and the hands of her daughter to take the hand of God and rest in eternal peace on May 5, 2011, at 8:15p.m. She will be reunited with her cherished husband of almost 61 years, William Edwin Mikulik, her parents, Joseph and Sophie Loika Schwartz, and her 15 dearly loved brothers and sisters; Sophie, Charles, Ludmila, Ernest, Ottilie, Joe, Bill, Otto, Martha, Albina, Louise, Alfonse, John, Annie, And Willa Mae, all of whom preceded her in death. They are now rejoicing in heaven since the last one has finally come home!
Rosary will be at 7 p.m. May 8, 2011, in the Johnson's Funeral Home chapel. Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 9, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Wall, Texas, with Monsignor Larry Droll from Midland, Texas, presiding. Fr. Chinna, will also concelebrate the mass. Burial will be in the St. Ambrose Catholic Cemetery, Wall, Texas, next to the husband and near eight of her brothers and sisters. As a parishioner, she was an early member of St. Helen's Alter Society of St. Ambrose Parish.
Hilda was born November 2, 1911, in Moravia, Texas, to Joseph and Sophie Loika Schwartz. She was a first generation Americans who spoke three languages fluently: German from her birth, Czech from her school days and her marriage, and fluent English as a school teacher and an American. She traveled to her parent's homeland the Czech, Hungarian Empire; now know as the Czech Republic five times after the age of 85. She was the fifteenth child of her parents but the first daughter to attend college at Southwest Texas in San Marcos. She taught school for three years and was a principal at the Krupala school, a one room school house in St. John, Texas near Schulenburg. On November 27, 1933, she was united in marriage to William Edwin Mikulik of the Komensky community near Moulton, Texas. Together, they remained marriage partners until Bill's death on September 29, 1994. As a couple, they farmed and lived one year on the Mikulik homestead near Komensky before moving themselves and their livestock to West Texas where they made their home in the Wall area. Mrs. Mikulik remained in the Wall Community until the present day residing at 8373 Mikulik Rd. She lived at the current location since 1934 never leaving her beloved soil.
A spunky lady, mother, and grandmother of 99 years, she loved her garden and the outdoors best! As late as her mid to late 80's, she could be seen in her garden at the break of dawn changing water or hoeing weeds. At 79 years of age, she still was climbing into pecan trees thrashing her pecans and at age 85, while on the roof of her home picking pecans, she had to shimmy down a dead cedar tree because the wind blew her step ladder down. Including her 90th year, she was extremely happy plowing on her small tractor, which she bought at the age of 85. Hilda was known for her endurance and her ability to work incredibly hard. She was also quite meek and frequently let others have "their way" even though she knew she was correct. She was generously patient and kind and tolerant with her husband, whose dreams she made come true, and two children, which she loved so dearly. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren also meant so much to her although, she was not one to outwardly show affection.
Besides mother, homemaker, and gardener, Hilda was co-proprietor of South Oakes Drive Inn in San Angelo with her husband, Bill. She enjoyed working there tremendously and called it her "second home" because of her many friends and patrons. Also, she and Bill were one of the seven original couples who founded St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Wall. She remembered hearing the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the evening of the day the church was dedicated. In addition, Hilda was an active member of the Farmer's Market since 1994 and St. Helen's Alter Society.
In the late 1950's, Hilda and her husband began a sausage business at South Oakes Drive Inn. It grew slowly but continued to flourish. In the 1980's, after a severe car accident, they turned their business over to their son, Harvey and his wife. Today, Mikulik Sausage is still being made with similar seasonings in the same manner and in the same location as Bill and Hilda originally began.
Survivors include one son, Harvey James, and daughter-in-law, Mary Jane, Mikulik of Wall; one daughter, Barbara Josephine Mikulik, of Webster and Wall; two granddaughters and spouses, Diane and Clayton Weishuhn of Wall and Gayle and Layton Fincher of Midland, Texas. In addition, four grandsons and wives: Michael and Kim Mikulik, Kevin and Cindy Mikulik, David and Darla Mikulik, all of Wall, and Bryan and Debra Mikulik of Forney, Texas, near Dallas. Furthermore, Mrs. Mikulik in survived by 17 great-grandchildren: Brandi and spouse, Evan Loomis, Shannon and spouse, Curtis Eggemeyer, and Lauren Weishuhn, Cole Ross Mikulik and spouse, Kerri, Britney Edwards, and spouse, Brian, Ashley and Megan Mikulik, Lauren and Devon Wilde, Garret Mikulik and spouse, Brigitt, Shelby, and Blaine Mikulik, all of Wall; Jordan, Tyler, and Reagen Fincher of Midland, Texas and Alexa Kate and Olivia Mikulik of Forney, Texas. One great, great, grandchild, Makenzie Mikulik.
Pallbearers will be grandsons and grandsons-in-law, Bryan Mikulik, David Mikulik, Kevin Mikulik, Michael Mikulik, Clayton Weishuhn and Layton Fincher. The family request memorials be sent to TCHCC, P.O. Box 6, LaGrange, TX, 78945 for the Schwartz-Loika Museum room or to St. Ambrose Church for the Rosary Garden.
Special prayers and gratitude are offered for Dr. Anderton, our beloved family doctor and his caring staff as well as the entire Wall community of friends especially Annie "Hancha" Braden.
We especially thank our devoted, loving caregivers: Emma Carrillo, Sara Martinez, Minnie Dias, and Diane Aguilar as well as the nursing staff of Shannon Hospital 5 North.
Geh mit Gott
S'panem Bohem
Go with God
Family and Friends May sign an online register book at www. johnsons-funeralhome.com.