Lavelle McKewen

Lavelle McKewen, 74, of Vidor, passed away Wednesday, October 27, 2021. She was born on November 9, 1946 in Beaumont, Texas to Marguerite Mansfield Tyler and Stanley Tyler.

Lavelle graduated from Vidor High School and Lamar University.  She later received her Master’s in education from Lamar.  She spent her career teaching middle school science and physical education at several southeast Texas school districts.  For more than 25 years, she taught, nurtured, and encouraged her students to achieve and excel believing in them and their potential no matter their background or situation.

She was gifted and talented with arts and crafts.  Working with a number of different skills and media, she made jewelry, knickknacks, quilts and decorations.  While she could easily have sold these, she made them mostly to see if she could and give them away to friends and family. Her curiosity and imagination fueled a hobby that delighted herself and others.

Lavelle loved to cook and bake, and she was very good at both.  She spent untold hours preparing pies, cakes, cookies and treats which she gave away to friends and strangers wherever she went – the bowling alley, the casino, the doctor’s office, even at chemo treatments.  She baked because she loved to share.

She also had a passion for helping animals.  She rescued cats and wild animals, taking them to the vet, paying for their treatment.  She adopted numerous cats and relocated recovered wildlife.  Lavelle supported many humane organizations and wildlife rescue efforts both locally and around the world.  She hated to see any living thing suffer and she did something to alleviate it if she could.

Lavelle loved and believed in family.

She is survived by her husband, Michael McKewen; daughter, Marcelyn Shuler and husband, Scott; son, Jeremy McKewen and wife, Melinda; and son, Aaron McKewen; brother, Gene Tyler and his wife, Julie; nieces, Heather LaBrot, Chloe Connors, Lexis Tyler, and Jocelyn Tyler; and nephew, Blaine Tyler; seven grandchildren: four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Harry Tyler; and son, Eric McKewen.

Memorial contributions for Mrs. McKewen may be made to the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, 2050 Spindletop Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77705 or World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24^th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20037.

A gathering of Lavelle’s family and friends will be held from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., Saturday, October 30, 2021, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.  Her cremation arrangements were handled through Broussard’s Crematorium, Beaumont.