Frances Lammers Weishuhn

Mrs. Frances Weishuhn, 87, of Smithville, passed away Sunday, September 18th. She had been the widow of Francis J. Weishuhn, M. D. Born to Grace and Floyd Kavanaugh, of Galveston, she was extremely proud of being "B.O.I.," Born On the Island. As a child, she loved the sea wall, fishing camps, and the Rosenburg Library. She attended Our Lady of the Lake College, in San Antonio, for one year, 1941-42, the year World War II started, the year there was not even Fiesta in San Antonio. The next year she returned to Galveston and worked as a secretary for the Rosenburg School. She had grown up literally in the shadow of the University of Texas Medical College, and often took her younger cousin to Sacred Heart Cathedral, which was also attended by F. J. Weishuhn, then a medical student, who thought, because she always had a child with her, she were married. One August day in 1953, she offered him a ride back to their neighborhood. That trip lasted the rest of their lives. A month later, they were engaged. They were wed on June 5, 1954, the day after he was graduated from Medical School. They first lived in Albuquerque, while he was in the United States Army, then decided to live in one of the small towns of central Texas. They decided on Smithville, in 1958. From that day, he was Smithville's hometown doctor for the next thirty-five years. Mrs. Weishuhn, then and many times after, worked as his secretary. Mrs. Weishuhn's father, Floyd Kavanaugh, had been a highly inventive typewriter mechanic and photography hobbyist. He celebrated Christmases by making elaborate, almost museum quality Christmas tree stands of outdoor scenes such as mountain ranges. Frances carried on the creative tradition. Besides being an avid gardener, crafter, quilter, photographer, bird watcher and artist, she made puppets and marionettes with her children and put on puppet shows to the delight of many Smithville children. She became known for exquisite, miniature scenes carefully built into hollowed eggs that became treasured by friends who received them. For over twenty years, she maintained The Gift Shoppe at Ascension Catholic Church's Fall festival, featuring handmade baby quilts, dolls, and stuffed animals. All the while, her main love was rearing her three children. Floyd, born in Albuquerque, whose birthday was 3-4-56, was graduated from Smithville High School, in 1974, became an accountant with a master's degree in business, and was the Business Manager of Kincaid School, in Houston. The Weishuhn's second child, Jean Marie, was born in 1959, was graduated from Smithville High School, class of 1978. She became the first woman Veterinarian, in Smithville. Helen, born in 1963, was Smithville High School's Valedictorian in 1981 and also became a Veterinarian. Indeed, F.J. Weishuhn once walked into the Smithville Livestock Sale, and announced, "I'm Dr. Weishuhn, and this is my daughter, Dr. Weishuhn, and this is my other daughter, Dr. Weishuhn." Another of Mrs. Weishuhn's joys was their house. At first, they had lived in a small house in a low-lying area of Smithville; so low that when it rained, water and frogs would come up through the floor furnace. In 1960, Mrs. Weishuhn decided she could take it no longer. No one wanted big, old frame houses in those days, but she had lived in one in Galveston, so they bought 401 Colorado for $20,000. It became the family home for 51 years and counting. Mrs. Weishuhn flew in an airplane for the first time in 1957, to attend her father's funeral. She never flew again, but loved to travel the United States via car and train. Just two years ago, she toured to New England for the autumn foliage, and back by AMTRAK. Mrs. Weishuhn has been preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Francis J.Weishuhn, who died of cancer in 2003, by her son, Floyd, who died of cancer in 1995, and by daughter, Jean, who died of cancer in 2008. She is survived by her daughter, Helen, daughter-in-law, Debra, grandson, Mark, a senior at the University of Houston and granddaughter, Caroline, a freshman at Texas A&M University. She is greatly missed. Recitation of the Holy Rosary was held September 20, 2011 at Bastrop Providence Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00am September 21, 2011 at St. Margarets Catholic Church Giddings, Texas with Interment following at Oak Hill Cemetery Smithville, Texas.