Klara Eva Schwechheimer Smits

Klara Eva Schwechheimer Smits died on Friday, May 5, 2017. She was born on December 24, 1924 in Hirschenhof, Latvia to Friedrich and Helma (Lutz) Schwechheimer. Klara and her family lived in Latvia until they were relocated during the war and eventually ended up in Wolfsburg, Germany. There she met her beloved husband, Haralds Smits. They immigrated to the United States in June 1951. Klara most enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great- granddaughter. She loved teaching them and their friends to play cards, cook and garden. She recently joined the quilters at Holy Cross and enjoyed going to her “job” every week.

 Klara is survived by her sons: Harry and his wife, Kari, of Brighton, Colorado and Valdis and his wife, Candace, of Sugar Land; daughter: Karin of Nederland; grandchildren: Kyle and his wife, Natali; Kristin; Jessica and her husband, Bryce Buchanan; Kara; and Stefanie; great-granddaughter, Piper Smits;  brothers: Adolf and Edgar; sisters: Senta Freitags, Livia Stosch, and Herta Broscheit; many nieces and nephews; Cousin: Siegfried Stahl. She will be especially missed by her dog, Poncho.

 Klara is preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Haralds; parents: Friedrich and Helma Schwechheimer; brothers: Bruno, Woldemar, Kurt, Siegfried; sisters: Berta Helbig, Zilda Schwechheimer, Karin Kohler, Elisabeth Gohres; and grandson, Brian Smits.

A gathering of Mrs. Smits’ family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, May 12, 2017, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2711 Helena Avenue, Nederland. Her funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 13, 2017, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, under the direction of Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland, with her interment to follow at Memory Gardens of Jefferson County, Nederland.