Betty Maskey

Mrs. Betty Jean Maskey, 88, of Moulton, Texas passed away January 4, 2024, from a recent stroke. 

Betty was born June 12, 1935, in Petronila, Texas to Annie and Henry Schanen and grew up on a farm outside Robstown, Texas.  Betty was very proud to be a 6th generation Texan and part of the Hoelscher/Buxkemper family, the largest in Texas.

Betty graduated from Robstown High School and went to work for Columbia Southern.  Betty was a lifelong baseball fan who enjoyed watching her brothers and the other young men play ball on their local teams.  A family friend set her up on a date with Harry Maskey, a pitcher from a Corpus Christi team.  Betty made fried chicken, chocolate cake and her famous potato salad for a picnic, and Harry was smitten.  They were married on January 26, 1957. 

Betty and Harry settled in the area around Robstown but eventually moved with their children to Corpus Christi.  Betty spent the ensuing years devoted to Harry and raising her four children.  Betty put her knowledge about plants and her experiences growing up on a farm to good use by growing huge vegetable gardens at her mother’s house.  With the bounty from the garden and her canning and food preservation skills, she made good nutrition a top priority in their home.  Betty was an excellent cook and seamstress, teaching all the girls how to make their own clothes. 

Education was always top of mind for Betty so when her children got older she went back to school to update her job skills so she could pay for their college.  Betty took algebra and bookkeeping classes at Del Mar College, and once she finished her classes she was quickly hired by Pearce and Company Accounting in Corpus Christi.  The children were amazed and humbled by Betty’s work ethic and her ability to jump into a whole new lifestyle.  After a successful couple of years working, Betty took some time off to care for her mother, whose health was declining.  In the mid 1980’s Betty returned to work as a bookkeeper in an industry that she was ideally suited for when she went to work for Gill Garden Center and Landscape Company in Corpus Christi.  Betty was not only an outstanding bookkeeper but also answered phones, advised on plants, typed up proposals, and even rocked the owners’ babies!  Her knowledge of plants meant that she could answer just about any question that came through the office. 

After 13 years working for the Gills, Betty joined Harry in retirement, and they both embarked on a new adventure.  Betty had always liked the rolling hills around Moulton, so together they found a piece of property and started a new life.  They built a house, created a large garden, found an exceptional church community at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and made many new friends.  Once again Betty’s kids were amazed at her embrace of a whole new lifestyle.  By this time, grandchildren were starting to keep Betty very busy.  She was always eager to go to Austin or to Naperville, Illinois to help out.  Betty loved having her six grandchildren visit her and Harry in Moulton.  Every summer her three granddaughters visited for a week or more with grandma and grandpa.  Betty took the girls to Vacation Bible School, taught them pie baking (she won many trophies for her delicious pies!) and entertained them with trips to Gonzales.  Mostly she and Harry let them experience the joy and freedom of life in the country.  Christmas was a special time for Betty and she and Harry enjoyed hosting the extended family in Moulton.

Besides being involved in her children’s and grandchildren’s lives, Betty had many hobbies and activities of her own in Moulton.  Betty became an avid quilter and joined the Shiner Heritage Quilt Guild.  Working with the ladies at St. Joseph’s she also made many quilts for the annual church auction.  She was a member of the Altar Society and worked at the country store booth during the fall church picnic. She continued pursuing her interest in organic gardening, Texas native plants and wildflowers by developing a beautiful landscape at home in Moulton. 

Betty followed her Houston Astros and was thrilled when they won their first World Series.  She also loved her Texas Aggies.  Starting with her brother’s attendance at Texas A&M, she developed a lifelong fondness for all things Aggie. A maroon t-shirt was one of her favorite articles of clothing, and when she spotted one on a stranger, she went up to them and started a conversation. 

Betty was willing to talk to anyone and go anywhere.  When an opportunity came up to travel, Betty was always ready.  She and Harry spent many years traveling around the western part of the United States.  She was thrilled to visit her father’s birthplace in Osweiler, Luxembourg in 2014.  Other trips included a visit to Japan, Quebec City, Vermont and New York City.  She loved visiting her sister in California and brother and sister-in-law in South Carolina.

Betty’s life was guided by her strong Catholic faith.  Throughout her life Betty was a loving, caring and unselfish presence in her family’s life and to all who knew her.  Her gentle spirit, kindness and practical advice will never be forgotten.

Betty is survived by her husband Harry; children Diane Maskey of Houston, Sharon Duquemin (David) of San Antonio, Matthew Maskey of Pflugerville and Elizabeth Bradley (Michael) of Austin; grandchildren James Duquemin, Thomas Duquemin (Hannah), Jackie Kappel (Colin), Julia Kreth (Dylan), Sarah Bradley and Patrick Bradley; Brother Dr. Giles Schanen (Jo Ann); and sister Mary Ann Motl.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, son Frank Allen Maskey, daughter-in-law Gail Maskey and two brothers Kennard and Melvin Schanen.

A public visitation for Betty will be Monday, January 8, 2024, from 5:00-6:30 PM at Smith Funeral Home in Moulton and on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, from 8:45-9:30 AM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 601 N. Pecan, Moulton, TX.  A Rosary will be recited on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 9:30 AM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Moulton followed by a funeral mass at 10:00 AM with Father Tim Kosler officiating.  Interment will follow in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Moulton.

Fond memories and words of comfort can be shared with the family at www.smithfuneraltx.com 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:  St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Moulton, TX, The Maison Center for educational scholarships for children in Ghana (mail to St. Joseph’s in Moulton or stjosephsmoulton.org) and The Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas. (DSACT.org)