Carla Mae Schmidt Kassaw
Carla Mae Schmidt Kassaw, 67, died Jan. 23, 2012, after a brief illness. She was born in Little Rock, Ark., on Dec. 19, 1944, to Arthur Karl and Dorothy Black Schmidt.
The family moved to Pettus during her childhood, and she graduated from Pettus High School in 1962. She attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi and later transferred to North Texas State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in music education.
She married Jan L. Kassaw on June 17, 1967. The couple briefly lived in San Marcos, where she worked as a music teacher and later for the Methodist church.
They later moved to San Antonio, where their daughter was born in 1971 and son was born in 1977. She devoted her time to her children for many years.
She also was active in the sanctuary choir and handbell choir of Alamo Heights United Methodist Church. As her children got older, she began teaching piano and clarinet lessons, instilling a love of music in many young children.
She had a lifelong interest in aviation and took flying lessons to get her private pilot’s license. She also returned to school to earn her FAA certificate in aircraft maintenance and worked for a local maintenance company for several years.
She was a longtime member of the Moon-McGehee chapter of the Daughter’s of the Republic of Texas. She was an avid reader and had a lifelong intellectual curiosity. She also was passionate about her German shepherd dogs.
Survivors include daughter Dr. Kristin Kassaw; son-in-law Ben Johnson; granddaughter Claire Johnson of Missouri City; and son Jon Kassaw and wife Debra of Carthage.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.
A memorial service is 10 a.m. Jan. 26 at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, 825 E. Basse Road in San Antonio.
Burial will follow at Lakeland Hills Cemetery in Burnet.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Linda Tiramani, 520 Eighth Ave., Seventh Floor, New York, NY 10018.
Condolences can be offered at www.clementswilcoxburnet.com.
Arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 E. Polk St. in Burnet, (512) 756-2222.