VANITA J. DEMEL
1931-2017
Vanita Jean (Brockman) Demel, 85 years of age, passed away early Friday morning. Born in Houston, TX, the oldest of four children to Irven Benjamin and Anita Francis (Shultze) Brockman, she has joined her parents, husband Elwood, brother Irven Benjamin, Jr. (I.B.), sister Shirley Mae, sisters-inlaw Dixie and Alice, brothersin-law Bernard (Benny) and Eugene, and her oldest son Larry. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend.
Mrs. Demel is survived by her brother Dale, son Wayne, daughter-in-law Claudia, sisters-in-law Joyce and Betty, and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. All will greatly miss hearing the “honey” she spoke with every greeting and goodnight. All will miss the lingering warmth of her embrace. Every person who was privy to her crawling grins and raucous laugh will feel the loss.
She met Elwood Demel at the end of her teenage life while participating in the Foley’s Bowling League, and the two were married 2 months and 8 days after her 21st birthday. They would remain husband and wife for 58 years until her matrimonial vow was fulfilled in May of 2010 when Elwood found a good enough joke to tell Saint Peter. Her father’s business, Brockman Printing and Stationary Company was passed successfully from one generation of Brockman’s to the next as she and her siblings took the reins. Vanita would work at the shop until January 1, 1990 when she officially joined her husband in retirement; though they both remained busy with the Knights of Columbus (Council 6557), or with the Catholic Daughters of America, or in organizing the Cacey Queens Bowling Tournament, which she did as President for 20 years, or with volunteer work at Saint Edwards.
In 2000 they moved to The Woodlands and for the next 10 years of her life she would become devoted to her oldest son Larry as his health began to sharply decline. Vanita took great care in comforting her firstborn through the final stages of his life. Upon Larry’s passing her second born, Wayne, would do for her what she had done for his brother. Vanita was strong, independent, driven, and generous within her community. Though rare it may have been, she could also be willfully stubborn and ardently opposed to a helping hand. Being born as a child of the Greatest Generation, she inherited the consequences of the Great Depression and she thrived; building a life worthy of immolation. She is a woman to be revered, remembered and celebrated.
On Thursday, the 4th day of May, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. in the nave of Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic Church, 26777 Glen Loch Drive, The Woodlands, TX, 77381. The Rite of Committal will follow at Forest Park Lawndale, 6900 Lawndale Street, Houston, TX 77023. A visitation will be held at Forest Park in The Woodlands, 18000 I-45, Conroe, TX 77384, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a rosary at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday the 3rd of May.