Venita Juanita Schlotfeldt

Venita Juanita Schlotfeldt, 81, of Bastrop, Texas, passed away on August 23, 2024.  Venita was born in Scott City, Kansas, to Friend and Mary (Woods) Stevenson on August 23, 1943.  Her entire family accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior when she was 8 years old.  Venita’s profound love for the Lord was evident in her life.  She leaves behind a legacy of unwavering faith, devotion, and love.

Venita graduated from Greeley County High School in Tribune, Kansas, in 1961.  She then attended Central Business College in Denver, Colorado, and graduated with honors in 1962.  After marrying her high school sweetheart, Larry Schlotfeldt, on June 17, 1962, Venita worked as a stenographer for the FBI in Denver, Colorado, while Larry attended Denver University.  Venita and Larry moved to Lawrence, Kansas, and attended the University of Kansas in the fall of 1963.  On January 1, 1964, less than two years into their marriage, a car accident left Venita permanently paralyzed as a quadriplegic.  Despite being given 5-7 years to live and told she would never have children, Venita and Larry were blessed with 62 years of marriage, 3 children, and 9 grandchildren.

In 1969, Venita and Larry answered a call to serve as short-term missionaries with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) in Venezuela, along with their two young children, Laurie and Steven.  They became long-term missionaries in Venezuela in 1973 until Larry became the Latin America Director for the EFCA home office in Bloomington, Minnesota, in 1984.  During their time in Venezuela, their younger son, Lorne, was born.  While in Venezuela, Venita served on several committees, was bookkeeper for the camp and children’s school, facilitated the transfer of all the mission financial records from paper to computer, taught elementary school Bible classes, sewed curtains and bedspreads for the children’s school dorm, baked cookies and cakes for school events, and was a seminary student studying Greek.

After moving to Minnesota, Venita studied to be a Braille transcriber and received a prestigious “Nemeth” certification in mathematics Braille transcription.  She served as a volunteer Braille transcriber for years while living in Minnesota.  Upon Larry’s retirement from the EFCA, and their move to the Lost Pines of Paige, Texas, in 1999, Venita and Larry began a business of transcribing textbooks into Braille for Texas school districts.  After their home was lost in the Bastrop Complex Fire of 2011, they moved into the city of Bastrop, Texas, and continued to braille until they retired in 2016.

Venita enjoyed reading, laughing, sharing stories with family and friends, having daily devotions and prayer time with Larry, playing Pogo and Yahtzee online, and working puzzles.

Venita is survived by her devoted husband, Larry; their 3 children and spouses, Laurie & Clint Dockery, Steven & Deirdre Schlotfeldt, Lorne & Jodi Schlotfeldt; 9 grandchildren and spouses, Steven & Shiloh Davison, Randy Davison, Caitlin & Arthur (Davison) Jansheski, Hunter Dockery, Logan Dockery, Summer Dockery, Ashley & Joshua (Schlotfeldt) Brown, Brenden Schlotfeldt, Audrey Schlotfeldt; and survived by her brother, Lavern Stevenson.

Venita was preceded in death by her father, Friend Stevenson; mother, Mary Stevenson; sister, Mary Ann Allison; and brother-in-law, Ted Allison.

Venita’s Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., at Grace Bible Fellowship Church of Bastrop, 133 Flahive Road, Bastrop, TX  78602.

For those unable to attend in person, you may join via Zoom ID:  880 9340 2240.

For those that would like to send flowers, the family has requested that arrangements be sent to Grace Bible Fellowship Church of Bastrop, 133 Flahive Road, Bastrop, Texas, 78602.  In lieu of memorial contributions, the family asks that donations be made to the charity of your choice in Venita's honor.