The Funeral Mass for Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, 99, of Rosenberg, Texas, is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2015, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 1416 George Street, Rosenberg, Texas, with the Reverend Eric Pitre as celebrant. Burial will follow in West Gethsemane Cemetery, Highway 36, Rosenberg, TX 77471. The Rosary will be recited at 8:00 p.m. Friday, November 13, 2015, with visitation until 9:30 p.m., all at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Rosenberg, Texas.
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey died November 9, 2015, at her home in Rosenberg, Texas. She was born January 7, 1916, in Rosenberg, Texas, and resided there all of her life. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in 1932 and then attended Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, which was then a college for women. From there she transferred to UT in Austin where she graduated in 1936 with a B.A. Degree. She was one of the five Sweetheart nominees of the University in 1936 and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. She was also chosen to be a Bluebonnet Belle while at the University of Texas. She graduated from UT Law School in 1939 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree and began the practice of law with her father, F.X. Joerger. After retiring from her active practice in 1979, she continued to work on personal affairs and charities with the assistance of her longtime secretary of 57 years, Ruth Kendziora.
She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the School. She was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library.
She married R. W. Lindsey in 1948 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1998. She and her husband practiced law together from 1948 until her retirement. They were honored by their friends and clients who established an endowed presidential scholarship in their name at the University of Texas in 1994.
She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an outstanding citizen by a banquet in her honor in 1996 and honored by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America by a banquet on May 7, 2008.
At the time of her death, she was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman's Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Holy Rosary #1476, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Ex-Students Association of the University of Texas, a Patron of the Junior League of Houston, and a member of the Rosenberg Railroad Museum.
She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg, Texas, and she and her husband established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library in honor of her parents, F.X. and Mary E. Joerger, and established another trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary Altar Society in honor of her parents, F. X. and Mary E. Joerger, and her sister, Angela Joerger McNutt, all of whom are deceased. She also donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall on the campus of the Holy Rosary Church in Rosenberg, Texas. She donated funds for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seaborne Creek Park in memory of R. W. Lindsey.
She is preceded in death by her husband, R. W. Lindsey, who died in 1999.
She is survived by the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her deceased sister, Angela McNutt, namely James McNutt, Darrell McNutt, Molly McNutt Berry, Brooke Berry, Ashley McNutt Schroeder, Townes, Hank and Lane Schroeder, Clay McNutt, Deborah (DeDe) Sullivan, Shelly Sullivan Essex, Austin and Ansley Kay Essex and Steven Stone.
Special thanks to caregiver, Rachel Martinez, and all the wonderful caregivers she had.
Memorial donations may be made to the F.X. and Mary E. Joerger Library @ Holy Rosary School, 1426 George Street, Rosenberg, Texas 77471.
...........................................
She passed the bar in 1938, the year before she graduated in 1939! Pretty amazing!
...........................................
Founder of the George Memorial Library
In 1947, a group of Rosenberg ladies who were members of the Share-a-Book Club decided to undertake the establishment of a library for Fort Bend County. Earlier attempts toward that goal had been made by other organizations, but none were successful. The Share-a-Book Club felt that county roads were, by 1947, adequate to support a bookmobile, and that a library to benefit the entire county could be founded.
The ladies in the book club, which had been organized in 1945, numbered 12: Mrs. Mayde Waddell Butler, Mrs. Emma Lee Schawe Dickerson, Mrs. L.D. (Doris) Erwin, Mrs. John (Fern) Garmany, Mrs. Alvin E. Hockmuth, Mrs. Maude Wallace Knipling, Mrs. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, Mrs. Angela Joerger McNutt, Mrs. Ruth Beckmann Schult, Mrs. Marjorie Balke Vogelsang, Mrs. Viola Yates, and Mrs. Lillian Hruzek Meyer.
The club appointed Mrs. Knipling, who had majored in library science, to determine the necessary procedure to establish a library, by consulting with her friends who were in library work. She invited the librarian from El Campo to give the club detailed information about the preliminary work to be completed before approaching the county commissioners in an effort to accomplish its goal. The El Campo librarian chaired a group to study thoroughly the organization and financing of the proposed library.
Share-a-Book Club members visited a number of libraries in neighboring areas to familiarize themselves with library operations. Mrs. McNutt developed a plan for contacting people in the county who would be interested in seeing a library established. The group then divided into teams of two and contacted every community in Fort Bend County--every civic organization, all of the ministers and priests in Fort Bend County, and all civic-minded people who would be interested in the establishment of a library. Some of the groups were asked to write letters to the county commissioners expressing approval of the project.
Each of the groups was asked to send a representative to a meeting with Commissioners' Court. The ladies hoped to impress on the court the interest of county residents in the creation of a library. On May 12, 1947, the date set for the Commissioners' Court meeting, the people of Fort Bend County responded magnificently to the appeal; at least 50 people, from every part of the county, were present.
The County Judge at that time was Charles Schultz; commissioners were J.C. Gassaway, Tom Snedecor, I.G. Wirts, Jr., and Andrew Briscoe. Mrs. Lindsey addressed the court, requesting the establishment of a library and explaining to the court the method of financing the library, its needs, and the manner in which a bookmobile would make books available throughout the county. The court granted the group's petition, and the library was founded.
Its first home was in the City Hall in Rosenberg. Mrs. Shult and Mrs. Lindsey convinced the Rosenberg city fathers to provide a place in the City Hall to put the books, and the Share-a-Book Club helped put up shelves. It was obvious early on that the small space would soon be inadequate. The club continued to work for the purchase of a bookmobile, because of its promise to people throughout the county that the new library would serve the entire county; the purchase was made in 1948. The club's first president, Mrs. Shult, served on the first library board; other board members were selected from across the county, reflecting the concept of a county-wide project.
Fort Bend County Libraries has now grown to a full library system, with ten locations throughout the county. The library also manages the County Law Library. The original 12 members probably could not have foreseen what would be the magnificent fruits of their long-ago efforts, but we¡¦re sure they would be very proud.
..........................................
Fort Bend County Oral History Interview
http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=26333
..........................................
A true "steel magnolia¨ Kathleen Joerger Lindsey
„{Everyday Life
In my jewelry box is a special necklace. It¡¦s made from polished rocks, one of my special loves, and was given to me by a classy, quietly gracious woman I interviewed over 10 years ago. That special lady, Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, passed away last week at the age of 99.
Over the course of her lifetime, Kathleen positively influenced Fort Bend County in countless ways, but none more so than what she did for literacy and the intellectually disabled.
Kathleen was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth and Francis Xavier Joerger and helped her father in his law practice. A bright and inquisitive young girl, she wanted to go to law school even though few women went to college, much less law school, in the 1930s. Undaunted, she applied to the University of Texas, was accepted, and was one of only five females in UT's law class of 300 and one of three who graduated in 1939.
She put that degree to good work and began working for her father. Over her 60-plus-year career as an attorney in Rosenberg, she specialized in wills and estate law.
Listing her achievements is a testament to what someone with steely resolve wearing a silk glove can achieve. As a young woman, Kathleen and a dozen other avid female readers decided Fort Bend County needed a library. Some folks thought only those living in town would benefit, so the ladies went to Commissioner's Court and got a bookmobile to serve everyone in the county.
But Kathleen didn't stop there. She talked to Mamie George, and she donated a building next to the old Polly Ryon Memorial Hospital that became the county's first permanent library. The George Foundation later expanded that initial investment and built the George Memorial Library.
One of Kathleen's most satisfying contributions was bringing a school for the intellectually disabled to the county. Richmond State School was built on 200 acres of land, and Kathleen eventually added another 40 acres to the site. The result was a quiet home for those with special needs to live.
Both Kathleen and her late husband, Robert, were generous benefactors to education. For over 31 years, a scholarship has been given to a graduating senior at Lamar CHS. The Lindseys also set up a generous scholarship for any graduate in the county that wants to attend the University of Texas.
In 1996, Kathleen and Robert were named the Rosenberg Railroad's volunteers of the year and they were also honored by the Rosenberg Revitalization Committee. There's a beautiful gazebo in Seabourne Creek Park that Kathleen built to honor her late husband.
Kathleen donated money to Holy Rosary Catholic Church to start a campaign to build a parish hall. The Joerger-Lindsey Hall was built with matching funds from parishioners, and the hall is always in use for receptions and celebrations.
Ruth Kendziora worked for Kathleen for 57 years as her legal secretary and said Ms. Lindsey always followed the law. As far as Kathleen was concerned, Ruth said, the two most important words in the English language were "thank you.¨
Kathleen, thank you doesn't come close to the gratitude the people of Rosenberg and Fort Bend County owe you. Your generosity and drive to educate and enhance this county are two of the reasons Rosenberg's been as successful as it has over the past 70 years.
I remember having lunch with Kathleen as her guest at the Fort Bend Country Club. We talked about women believing in themselves and how no one should ever give up on their dreams.
When I graduated from the University of Houston, Kathleen gave me that polished rock necklace along with a hand-written note of congratulations.
Every time I put on that necklace, I think of Kathleen and count myself lucky that I had the privilege of meeting someone who epitomizes the words "class" and "elegance.¨
Rest in peace, dear lady. You've earned it.
This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.
***********
Beautiful piece written written by my sister Shelly to have a LCISD school named after KK.
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey was born January 7, 1916 and lived her entire life in Rosenberg, Texas. She graduated valedictorian of her high school in 1932 and then went on to graduate as one of the first females from the University of Texas Law School in 1939. When she returned to Rosenberg, she began practicing law with her father, F.X. Joerger and eventually her husband, creating the Rosenberg Abstract Company. She became known as the Southern Lady that worked with an iron fist and the men in her field feared her! She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the school as well. Literacy was high on her list and she was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library and in organizing the Book Mobile that brought books to residents before the school libraries were large enough. She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an Outstanding Citizen in 1996 and by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 2008. She was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman’s Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the Holy Rosary Alter Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Rosenberg Railroad Museum, the Ex-Students Association of The University of Texas, and a Patron of the Junior League of Houston. She established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library and for the Holy Rosary Alter Society as well as donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall and for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seabourne Creek Park in memory of her late husband.
She loved Fort Bend County and her Rosenberg community and believed it was the best place to live. She wanted to give back as much as she felt the community had given her. She was incredibly generous and made contributions to her community anonymously, not wanting the credit or recognition that she had done something special for the public. Naming a school after her would finally recognize her community efforts, participation, contributions, and hopefully, inspire generations to come by her success, achievements, and generosity. Fort Bend County has a rich and extensive history and is only continuing to grow and prosper. Her life and legacy are now part of this county’s history and to honor her and her accomplishments by naming a school on her behalf would only cement her significance in the community. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey is my Great Aunt, and she will always be one of my biggest inspirations!
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey died November 9, 2015, at her home in Rosenberg, Texas. She was born January 7, 1916, in Rosenberg, Texas, and resided there all of her life. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in 1932 and then attended Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, which was then a college for women. From there she transferred to UT in Austin where she graduated in 1936 with a B.A. Degree. She was one of the five Sweetheart nominees of the University in 1936 and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. She was also chosen to be a Bluebonnet Belle while at the University of Texas. She graduated from UT Law School in 1939 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree and began the practice of law with her father, F.X. Joerger. After retiring from her active practice in 1979, she continued to work on personal affairs and charities with the assistance of her longtime secretary of 57 years, Ruth Kendziora.
She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the School. She was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library.
She married R. W. Lindsey in 1948 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1998. She and her husband practiced law together from 1948 until her retirement. They were honored by their friends and clients who established an endowed presidential scholarship in their name at the University of Texas in 1994.
She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an outstanding citizen by a banquet in her honor in 1996 and honored by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America by a banquet on May 7, 2008.
At the time of her death, she was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman's Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Holy Rosary #1476, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Ex-Students Association of the University of Texas, a Patron of the Junior League of Houston, and a member of the Rosenberg Railroad Museum.
She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg, Texas, and she and her husband established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library in honor of her parents, F.X. and Mary E. Joerger, and established another trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary Altar Society in honor of her parents, F. X. and Mary E. Joerger, and her sister, Angela Joerger McNutt, all of whom are deceased. She also donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall on the campus of the Holy Rosary Church in Rosenberg, Texas. She donated funds for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seaborne Creek Park in memory of R. W. Lindsey.
She is preceded in death by her husband, R. W. Lindsey, who died in 1999.
She is survived by the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her deceased sister, Angela McNutt, namely James McNutt, Darrell McNutt, Molly McNutt Berry, Brooke Berry, Ashley McNutt Schroeder, Townes, Hank and Lane Schroeder, Clay McNutt, Deborah (DeDe) Sullivan, Shelly Sullivan Essex, Austin and Ansley Kay Essex and Steven Stone.
Special thanks to caregiver, Rachel Martinez, and all the wonderful caregivers she had.
Memorial donations may be made to the F.X. and Mary E. Joerger Library @ Holy Rosary School, 1426 George Street, Rosenberg, Texas 77471.
...........................................
She passed the bar in 1938, the year before she graduated in 1939! Pretty amazing!
...........................................
Founder of the George Memorial Library
In 1947, a group of Rosenberg ladies who were members of the Share-a-Book Club decided to undertake the establishment of a library for Fort Bend County. Earlier attempts toward that goal had been made by other organizations, but none were successful. The Share-a-Book Club felt that county roads were, by 1947, adequate to support a bookmobile, and that a library to benefit the entire county could be founded.
The ladies in the book club, which had been organized in 1945, numbered 12: Mrs. Mayde Waddell Butler, Mrs. Emma Lee Schawe Dickerson, Mrs. L.D. (Doris) Erwin, Mrs. John (Fern) Garmany, Mrs. Alvin E. Hockmuth, Mrs. Maude Wallace Knipling, Mrs. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, Mrs. Angela Joerger McNutt, Mrs. Ruth Beckmann Schult, Mrs. Marjorie Balke Vogelsang, Mrs. Viola Yates, and Mrs. Lillian Hruzek Meyer.
The club appointed Mrs. Knipling, who had majored in library science, to determine the necessary procedure to establish a library, by consulting with her friends who were in library work. She invited the librarian from El Campo to give the club detailed information about the preliminary work to be completed before approaching the county commissioners in an effort to accomplish its goal. The El Campo librarian chaired a group to study thoroughly the organization and financing of the proposed library.
Share-a-Book Club members visited a number of libraries in neighboring areas to familiarize themselves with library operations. Mrs. McNutt developed a plan for contacting people in the county who would be interested in seeing a library established. The group then divided into teams of two and contacted every community in Fort Bend County--every civic organization, all of the ministers and priests in Fort Bend County, and all civic-minded people who would be interested in the establishment of a library. Some of the groups were asked to write letters to the county commissioners expressing approval of the project.
Each of the groups was asked to send a representative to a meeting with Commissioners' Court. The ladies hoped to impress on the court the interest of county residents in the creation of a library. On May 12, 1947, the date set for the Commissioners' Court meeting, the people of Fort Bend County responded magnificently to the appeal; at least 50 people, from every part of the county, were present.
The County Judge at that time was Charles Schultz; commissioners were J.C. Gassaway, Tom Snedecor, I.G. Wirts, Jr., and Andrew Briscoe. Mrs. Lindsey addressed the court, requesting the establishment of a library and explaining to the court the method of financing the library, its needs, and the manner in which a bookmobile would make books available throughout the county. The court granted the group's petition, and the library was founded.
Its first home was in the City Hall in Rosenberg. Mrs. Shult and Mrs. Lindsey convinced the Rosenberg city fathers to provide a place in the City Hall to put the books, and the Share-a-Book Club helped put up shelves. It was obvious early on that the small space would soon be inadequate. The club continued to work for the purchase of a bookmobile, because of its promise to people throughout the county that the new library would serve the entire county; the purchase was made in 1948. The club's first president, Mrs. Shult, served on the first library board; other board members were selected from across the county, reflecting the concept of a county-wide project.
Fort Bend County Libraries has now grown to a full library system, with ten locations throughout the county. The library also manages the County Law Library. The original 12 members probably could not have foreseen what would be the magnificent fruits of their long-ago efforts, but we¡¦re sure they would be very proud.
..........................................
Fort Bend County Oral History Interview
http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=26333
..........................................
A true "steel magnolia¨ Kathleen Joerger Lindsey
„{Everyday Life
In my jewelry box is a special necklace. It¡¦s made from polished rocks, one of my special loves, and was given to me by a classy, quietly gracious woman I interviewed over 10 years ago. That special lady, Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, passed away last week at the age of 99.
Over the course of her lifetime, Kathleen positively influenced Fort Bend County in countless ways, but none more so than what she did for literacy and the intellectually disabled.
Kathleen was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth and Francis Xavier Joerger and helped her father in his law practice. A bright and inquisitive young girl, she wanted to go to law school even though few women went to college, much less law school, in the 1930s. Undaunted, she applied to the University of Texas, was accepted, and was one of only five females in UT's law class of 300 and one of three who graduated in 1939.
She put that degree to good work and began working for her father. Over her 60-plus-year career as an attorney in Rosenberg, she specialized in wills and estate law.
Listing her achievements is a testament to what someone with steely resolve wearing a silk glove can achieve. As a young woman, Kathleen and a dozen other avid female readers decided Fort Bend County needed a library. Some folks thought only those living in town would benefit, so the ladies went to Commissioner's Court and got a bookmobile to serve everyone in the county.
But Kathleen didn't stop there. She talked to Mamie George, and she donated a building next to the old Polly Ryon Memorial Hospital that became the county's first permanent library. The George Foundation later expanded that initial investment and built the George Memorial Library.
One of Kathleen's most satisfying contributions was bringing a school for the intellectually disabled to the county. Richmond State School was built on 200 acres of land, and Kathleen eventually added another 40 acres to the site. The result was a quiet home for those with special needs to live.
Both Kathleen and her late husband, Robert, were generous benefactors to education. For over 31 years, a scholarship has been given to a graduating senior at Lamar CHS. The Lindseys also set up a generous scholarship for any graduate in the county that wants to attend the University of Texas.
In 1996, Kathleen and Robert were named the Rosenberg Railroad's volunteers of the year and they were also honored by the Rosenberg Revitalization Committee. There's a beautiful gazebo in Seabourne Creek Park that Kathleen built to honor her late husband.
Kathleen donated money to Holy Rosary Catholic Church to start a campaign to build a parish hall. The Joerger-Lindsey Hall was built with matching funds from parishioners, and the hall is always in use for receptions and celebrations.
Ruth Kendziora worked for Kathleen for 57 years as her legal secretary and said Ms. Lindsey always followed the law. As far as Kathleen was concerned, Ruth said, the two most important words in the English language were "thank you.¨
Kathleen, thank you doesn't come close to the gratitude the people of Rosenberg and Fort Bend County owe you. Your generosity and drive to educate and enhance this county are two of the reasons Rosenberg's been as successful as it has over the past 70 years.
I remember having lunch with Kathleen as her guest at the Fort Bend Country Club. We talked about women believing in themselves and how no one should ever give up on their dreams.
When I graduated from the University of Houston, Kathleen gave me that polished rock necklace along with a hand-written note of congratulations.
Every time I put on that necklace, I think of Kathleen and count myself lucky that I had the privilege of meeting someone who epitomizes the words "class" and "elegance.¨
Rest in peace, dear lady. You've earned it.
This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.
***********
Beautiful piece written written by my sister Shelly to have a LCISD school named after KK.
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey was born January 7, 1916 and lived her entire life in Rosenberg, Texas. She graduated valedictorian of her high school in 1932 and then went on to graduate as one of the first females from the University of Texas Law School in 1939. When she returned to Rosenberg, she began practicing law with her father, F.X. Joerger and eventually her husband, creating the Rosenberg Abstract Company. She became known as the Southern Lady that worked with an iron fist and the men in her field feared her! She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the school as well. Literacy was high on her list and she was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library and in organizing the Book Mobile that brought books to residents before the school libraries were large enough. She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an Outstanding Citizen in 1996 and by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 2008. She was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman’s Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the Holy Rosary Alter Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Rosenberg Railroad Museum, the Ex-Students Association of The University of Texas, and a Patron of the Junior League of Houston. She established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library and for the Holy Rosary Alter Society as well as donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall and for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seabourne Creek Park in memory of her late husband.
She loved Fort Bend County and her Rosenberg community and believed it was the best place to live. She wanted to give back as much as she felt the community had given her. She was incredibly generous and made contributions to her community anonymously, not wanting the credit or recognition that she had done something special for the public. Naming a school after her would finally recognize her community efforts, participation, contributions, and hopefully, inspire generations to come by her success, achievements, and generosity. Fort Bend County has a rich and extensive history and is only continuing to grow and prosper. Her life and legacy are now part of this county’s history and to honor her and her accomplishments by naming a school on her behalf would only cement her significance in the community. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey is my Great Aunt, and she will always be one of my biggest inspirations!
The Funeral Mass for Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, 99, of Rosenberg, Texas, is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2015, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 1416 George Street, Rosenberg, Texas, with the Reverend Eric Pitre as celebrant. Burial will follow in West Gethsemane Cemetery, Highway 36, Rosenberg, TX 77471. The Rosary will be recited at 8:00 p.m. Friday, November 13, 2015, with visitation until 9:30 p.m., all at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Rosenberg, Texas.
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey died November 9, 2015, at her home in Rosenberg, Texas. She was born January 7, 1916, in Rosenberg, Texas, and resided there all of her life. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in 1932 and then attended Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, which was then a college for women. From there she transferred to UT in Austin where she graduated in 1936 with a B.A. Degree. She was one of the five Sweetheart nominees of the University in 1936 and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. She was also chosen to be a Bluebonnet Belle while at the University of Texas. She graduated from UT Law School in 1939 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree and began the practice of law with her father, F.X. Joerger. After retiring from her active practice in 1979, she continued to work on personal affairs and charities with the assistance of her longtime secretary of 57 years, Ruth Kendziora.
She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the School. She was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library.
She married R. W. Lindsey in 1948 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1998. She and her husband practiced law together from 1948 until her retirement. They were honored by their friends and clients who established an endowed presidential scholarship in their name at the University of Texas in 1994.
She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an outstanding citizen by a banquet in her honor in 1996 and honored by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America by a banquet on May 7, 2008.
At the time of her death, she was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman's Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Holy Rosary #1476, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Ex-Students Association of the University of Texas, a Patron of the Junior League of Houston, and a member of the Rosenberg Railroad Museum.
She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg, Texas, and she and her husband established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library in honor of her parents, F.X. and Mary E. Joerger, and established another trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary Altar Society in honor of her parents, F. X. and Mary E. Joerger, and her sister, Angela Joerger McNutt, all of whom are deceased. She also donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall on the campus of the Holy Rosary Church in Rosenberg, Texas. She donated funds for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seaborne Creek Park in memory of R. W. Lindsey.
She is preceded in death by her husband, R. W. Lindsey, who died in 1999.
She is survived by the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her deceased sister, Angela McNutt, namely James McNutt, Darrell McNutt, Molly McNutt Berry, Brooke Berry, Ashley McNutt Schroeder, Townes, Hank and Lane Schroeder, Clay McNutt, Deborah (DeDe) Sullivan, Shelly Sullivan Essex, Austin and Ansley Kay Essex and Steven Stone.
Special thanks to caregiver, Rachel Martinez, and all the wonderful caregivers she had.
Memorial donations may be made to the F.X. and Mary E. Joerger Library @ Holy Rosary School, 1426 George Street, Rosenberg, Texas 77471.
...........................................
She passed the bar in 1938, the year before she graduated in 1939! Pretty amazing!
...........................................
Founder of the George Memorial Library
In 1947, a group of Rosenberg ladies who were members of the Share-a-Book Club decided to undertake the establishment of a library for Fort Bend County. Earlier attempts toward that goal had been made by other organizations, but none were successful. The Share-a-Book Club felt that county roads were, by 1947, adequate to support a bookmobile, and that a library to benefit the entire county could be founded.
The ladies in the book club, which had been organized in 1945, numbered 12: Mrs. Mayde Waddell Butler, Mrs. Emma Lee Schawe Dickerson, Mrs. L.D. (Doris) Erwin, Mrs. John (Fern) Garmany, Mrs. Alvin E. Hockmuth, Mrs. Maude Wallace Knipling, Mrs. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, Mrs. Angela Joerger McNutt, Mrs. Ruth Beckmann Schult, Mrs. Marjorie Balke Vogelsang, Mrs. Viola Yates, and Mrs. Lillian Hruzek Meyer.
The club appointed Mrs. Knipling, who had majored in library science, to determine the necessary procedure to establish a library, by consulting with her friends who were in library work. She invited the librarian from El Campo to give the club detailed information about the preliminary work to be completed before approaching the county commissioners in an effort to accomplish its goal. The El Campo librarian chaired a group to study thoroughly the organization and financing of the proposed library.
Share-a-Book Club members visited a number of libraries in neighboring areas to familiarize themselves with library operations. Mrs. McNutt developed a plan for contacting people in the county who would be interested in seeing a library established. The group then divided into teams of two and contacted every community in Fort Bend County--every civic organization, all of the ministers and priests in Fort Bend County, and all civic-minded people who would be interested in the establishment of a library. Some of the groups were asked to write letters to the county commissioners expressing approval of the project.
Each of the groups was asked to send a representative to a meeting with Commissioners' Court. The ladies hoped to impress on the court the interest of county residents in the creation of a library. On May 12, 1947, the date set for the Commissioners' Court meeting, the people of Fort Bend County responded magnificently to the appeal; at least 50 people, from every part of the county, were present.
The County Judge at that time was Charles Schultz; commissioners were J.C. Gassaway, Tom Snedecor, I.G. Wirts, Jr., and Andrew Briscoe. Mrs. Lindsey addressed the court, requesting the establishment of a library and explaining to the court the method of financing the library, its needs, and the manner in which a bookmobile would make books available throughout the county. The court granted the group's petition, and the library was founded.
Its first home was in the City Hall in Rosenberg. Mrs. Shult and Mrs. Lindsey convinced the Rosenberg city fathers to provide a place in the City Hall to put the books, and the Share-a-Book Club helped put up shelves. It was obvious early on that the small space would soon be inadequate. The club continued to work for the purchase of a bookmobile, because of its promise to people throughout the county that the new library would serve the entire county; the purchase was made in 1948. The club's first president, Mrs. Shult, served on the first library board; other board members were selected from across the county, reflecting the concept of a county-wide project.
Fort Bend County Libraries has now grown to a full library system, with ten locations throughout the county. The library also manages the County Law Library. The original 12 members probably could not have foreseen what would be the magnificent fruits of their long-ago efforts, but we¡¦re sure they would be very proud.
..........................................
Fort Bend County Oral History Interview
http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=26333
..........................................
A true "steel magnolia¨ Kathleen Joerger Lindsey
„{Everyday Life
In my jewelry box is a special necklace. It¡¦s made from polished rocks, one of my special loves, and was given to me by a classy, quietly gracious woman I interviewed over 10 years ago. That special lady, Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, passed away last week at the age of 99.
Over the course of her lifetime, Kathleen positively influenced Fort Bend County in countless ways, but none more so than what she did for literacy and the intellectually disabled.
Kathleen was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth and Francis Xavier Joerger and helped her father in his law practice. A bright and inquisitive young girl, she wanted to go to law school even though few women went to college, much less law school, in the 1930s. Undaunted, she applied to the University of Texas, was accepted, and was one of only five females in UT's law class of 300 and one of three who graduated in 1939.
She put that degree to good work and began working for her father. Over her 60-plus-year career as an attorney in Rosenberg, she specialized in wills and estate law.
Listing her achievements is a testament to what someone with steely resolve wearing a silk glove can achieve. As a young woman, Kathleen and a dozen other avid female readers decided Fort Bend County needed a library. Some folks thought only those living in town would benefit, so the ladies went to Commissioner's Court and got a bookmobile to serve everyone in the county.
But Kathleen didn't stop there. She talked to Mamie George, and she donated a building next to the old Polly Ryon Memorial Hospital that became the county's first permanent library. The George Foundation later expanded that initial investment and built the George Memorial Library.
One of Kathleen's most satisfying contributions was bringing a school for the intellectually disabled to the county. Richmond State School was built on 200 acres of land, and Kathleen eventually added another 40 acres to the site. The result was a quiet home for those with special needs to live.
Both Kathleen and her late husband, Robert, were generous benefactors to education. For over 31 years, a scholarship has been given to a graduating senior at Lamar CHS. The Lindseys also set up a generous scholarship for any graduate in the county that wants to attend the University of Texas.
In 1996, Kathleen and Robert were named the Rosenberg Railroad's volunteers of the year and they were also honored by the Rosenberg Revitalization Committee. There's a beautiful gazebo in Seabourne Creek Park that Kathleen built to honor her late husband.
Kathleen donated money to Holy Rosary Catholic Church to start a campaign to build a parish hall. The Joerger-Lindsey Hall was built with matching funds from parishioners, and the hall is always in use for receptions and celebrations.
Ruth Kendziora worked for Kathleen for 57 years as her legal secretary and said Ms. Lindsey always followed the law. As far as Kathleen was concerned, Ruth said, the two most important words in the English language were "thank you.¨
Kathleen, thank you doesn't come close to the gratitude the people of Rosenberg and Fort Bend County owe you. Your generosity and drive to educate and enhance this county are two of the reasons Rosenberg's been as successful as it has over the past 70 years.
I remember having lunch with Kathleen as her guest at the Fort Bend Country Club. We talked about women believing in themselves and how no one should ever give up on their dreams.
When I graduated from the University of Houston, Kathleen gave me that polished rock necklace along with a hand-written note of congratulations.
Every time I put on that necklace, I think of Kathleen and count myself lucky that I had the privilege of meeting someone who epitomizes the words "class" and "elegance.¨
Rest in peace, dear lady. You've earned it.
This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.
***********
Beautiful piece written written by my sister Shelly to have a LCISD school named after KK.
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey was born January 7, 1916 and lived her entire life in Rosenberg, Texas. She graduated valedictorian of her high school in 1932 and then went on to graduate as one of the first females from the University of Texas Law School in 1939. When she returned to Rosenberg, she began practicing law with her father, F.X. Joerger and eventually her husband, creating the Rosenberg Abstract Company. She became known as the Southern Lady that worked with an iron fist and the men in her field feared her! She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the school as well. Literacy was high on her list and she was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library and in organizing the Book Mobile that brought books to residents before the school libraries were large enough. She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an Outstanding Citizen in 1996 and by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 2008. She was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman’s Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the Holy Rosary Alter Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Rosenberg Railroad Museum, the Ex-Students Association of The University of Texas, and a Patron of the Junior League of Houston. She established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library and for the Holy Rosary Alter Society as well as donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall and for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seabourne Creek Park in memory of her late husband.
She loved Fort Bend County and her Rosenberg community and believed it was the best place to live. She wanted to give back as much as she felt the community had given her. She was incredibly generous and made contributions to her community anonymously, not wanting the credit or recognition that she had done something special for the public. Naming a school after her would finally recognize her community efforts, participation, contributions, and hopefully, inspire generations to come by her success, achievements, and generosity. Fort Bend County has a rich and extensive history and is only continuing to grow and prosper. Her life and legacy are now part of this county’s history and to honor her and her accomplishments by naming a school on her behalf would only cement her significance in the community. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey is my Great Aunt, and she will always be one of my biggest inspirations!
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey died November 9, 2015, at her home in Rosenberg, Texas. She was born January 7, 1916, in Rosenberg, Texas, and resided there all of her life. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in 1932 and then attended Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, which was then a college for women. From there she transferred to UT in Austin where she graduated in 1936 with a B.A. Degree. She was one of the five Sweetheart nominees of the University in 1936 and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. She was also chosen to be a Bluebonnet Belle while at the University of Texas. She graduated from UT Law School in 1939 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree and began the practice of law with her father, F.X. Joerger. After retiring from her active practice in 1979, she continued to work on personal affairs and charities with the assistance of her longtime secretary of 57 years, Ruth Kendziora.
She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the School. She was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library.
She married R. W. Lindsey in 1948 and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1998. She and her husband practiced law together from 1948 until her retirement. They were honored by their friends and clients who established an endowed presidential scholarship in their name at the University of Texas in 1994.
She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an outstanding citizen by a banquet in her honor in 1996 and honored by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America by a banquet on May 7, 2008.
At the time of her death, she was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman's Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Holy Rosary #1476, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Ex-Students Association of the University of Texas, a Patron of the Junior League of Houston, and a member of the Rosenberg Railroad Museum.
She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rosenberg, Texas, and she and her husband established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library in honor of her parents, F.X. and Mary E. Joerger, and established another trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary Altar Society in honor of her parents, F. X. and Mary E. Joerger, and her sister, Angela Joerger McNutt, all of whom are deceased. She also donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall on the campus of the Holy Rosary Church in Rosenberg, Texas. She donated funds for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seaborne Creek Park in memory of R. W. Lindsey.
She is preceded in death by her husband, R. W. Lindsey, who died in 1999.
She is survived by the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her deceased sister, Angela McNutt, namely James McNutt, Darrell McNutt, Molly McNutt Berry, Brooke Berry, Ashley McNutt Schroeder, Townes, Hank and Lane Schroeder, Clay McNutt, Deborah (DeDe) Sullivan, Shelly Sullivan Essex, Austin and Ansley Kay Essex and Steven Stone.
Special thanks to caregiver, Rachel Martinez, and all the wonderful caregivers she had.
Memorial donations may be made to the F.X. and Mary E. Joerger Library @ Holy Rosary School, 1426 George Street, Rosenberg, Texas 77471.
...........................................
She passed the bar in 1938, the year before she graduated in 1939! Pretty amazing!
...........................................
Founder of the George Memorial Library
In 1947, a group of Rosenberg ladies who were members of the Share-a-Book Club decided to undertake the establishment of a library for Fort Bend County. Earlier attempts toward that goal had been made by other organizations, but none were successful. The Share-a-Book Club felt that county roads were, by 1947, adequate to support a bookmobile, and that a library to benefit the entire county could be founded.
The ladies in the book club, which had been organized in 1945, numbered 12: Mrs. Mayde Waddell Butler, Mrs. Emma Lee Schawe Dickerson, Mrs. L.D. (Doris) Erwin, Mrs. John (Fern) Garmany, Mrs. Alvin E. Hockmuth, Mrs. Maude Wallace Knipling, Mrs. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, Mrs. Angela Joerger McNutt, Mrs. Ruth Beckmann Schult, Mrs. Marjorie Balke Vogelsang, Mrs. Viola Yates, and Mrs. Lillian Hruzek Meyer.
The club appointed Mrs. Knipling, who had majored in library science, to determine the necessary procedure to establish a library, by consulting with her friends who were in library work. She invited the librarian from El Campo to give the club detailed information about the preliminary work to be completed before approaching the county commissioners in an effort to accomplish its goal. The El Campo librarian chaired a group to study thoroughly the organization and financing of the proposed library.
Share-a-Book Club members visited a number of libraries in neighboring areas to familiarize themselves with library operations. Mrs. McNutt developed a plan for contacting people in the county who would be interested in seeing a library established. The group then divided into teams of two and contacted every community in Fort Bend County--every civic organization, all of the ministers and priests in Fort Bend County, and all civic-minded people who would be interested in the establishment of a library. Some of the groups were asked to write letters to the county commissioners expressing approval of the project.
Each of the groups was asked to send a representative to a meeting with Commissioners' Court. The ladies hoped to impress on the court the interest of county residents in the creation of a library. On May 12, 1947, the date set for the Commissioners' Court meeting, the people of Fort Bend County responded magnificently to the appeal; at least 50 people, from every part of the county, were present.
The County Judge at that time was Charles Schultz; commissioners were J.C. Gassaway, Tom Snedecor, I.G. Wirts, Jr., and Andrew Briscoe. Mrs. Lindsey addressed the court, requesting the establishment of a library and explaining to the court the method of financing the library, its needs, and the manner in which a bookmobile would make books available throughout the county. The court granted the group's petition, and the library was founded.
Its first home was in the City Hall in Rosenberg. Mrs. Shult and Mrs. Lindsey convinced the Rosenberg city fathers to provide a place in the City Hall to put the books, and the Share-a-Book Club helped put up shelves. It was obvious early on that the small space would soon be inadequate. The club continued to work for the purchase of a bookmobile, because of its promise to people throughout the county that the new library would serve the entire county; the purchase was made in 1948. The club's first president, Mrs. Shult, served on the first library board; other board members were selected from across the county, reflecting the concept of a county-wide project.
Fort Bend County Libraries has now grown to a full library system, with ten locations throughout the county. The library also manages the County Law Library. The original 12 members probably could not have foreseen what would be the magnificent fruits of their long-ago efforts, but we¡¦re sure they would be very proud.
..........................................
Fort Bend County Oral History Interview
http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=26333
..........................................
A true "steel magnolia¨ Kathleen Joerger Lindsey
„{Everyday Life
In my jewelry box is a special necklace. It¡¦s made from polished rocks, one of my special loves, and was given to me by a classy, quietly gracious woman I interviewed over 10 years ago. That special lady, Kathleen Joerger Lindsey, passed away last week at the age of 99.
Over the course of her lifetime, Kathleen positively influenced Fort Bend County in countless ways, but none more so than what she did for literacy and the intellectually disabled.
Kathleen was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth and Francis Xavier Joerger and helped her father in his law practice. A bright and inquisitive young girl, she wanted to go to law school even though few women went to college, much less law school, in the 1930s. Undaunted, she applied to the University of Texas, was accepted, and was one of only five females in UT's law class of 300 and one of three who graduated in 1939.
She put that degree to good work and began working for her father. Over her 60-plus-year career as an attorney in Rosenberg, she specialized in wills and estate law.
Listing her achievements is a testament to what someone with steely resolve wearing a silk glove can achieve. As a young woman, Kathleen and a dozen other avid female readers decided Fort Bend County needed a library. Some folks thought only those living in town would benefit, so the ladies went to Commissioner's Court and got a bookmobile to serve everyone in the county.
But Kathleen didn't stop there. She talked to Mamie George, and she donated a building next to the old Polly Ryon Memorial Hospital that became the county's first permanent library. The George Foundation later expanded that initial investment and built the George Memorial Library.
One of Kathleen's most satisfying contributions was bringing a school for the intellectually disabled to the county. Richmond State School was built on 200 acres of land, and Kathleen eventually added another 40 acres to the site. The result was a quiet home for those with special needs to live.
Both Kathleen and her late husband, Robert, were generous benefactors to education. For over 31 years, a scholarship has been given to a graduating senior at Lamar CHS. The Lindseys also set up a generous scholarship for any graduate in the county that wants to attend the University of Texas.
In 1996, Kathleen and Robert were named the Rosenberg Railroad's volunteers of the year and they were also honored by the Rosenberg Revitalization Committee. There's a beautiful gazebo in Seabourne Creek Park that Kathleen built to honor her late husband.
Kathleen donated money to Holy Rosary Catholic Church to start a campaign to build a parish hall. The Joerger-Lindsey Hall was built with matching funds from parishioners, and the hall is always in use for receptions and celebrations.
Ruth Kendziora worked for Kathleen for 57 years as her legal secretary and said Ms. Lindsey always followed the law. As far as Kathleen was concerned, Ruth said, the two most important words in the English language were "thank you.¨
Kathleen, thank you doesn't come close to the gratitude the people of Rosenberg and Fort Bend County owe you. Your generosity and drive to educate and enhance this county are two of the reasons Rosenberg's been as successful as it has over the past 70 years.
I remember having lunch with Kathleen as her guest at the Fort Bend Country Club. We talked about women believing in themselves and how no one should ever give up on their dreams.
When I graduated from the University of Houston, Kathleen gave me that polished rock necklace along with a hand-written note of congratulations.
Every time I put on that necklace, I think of Kathleen and count myself lucky that I had the privilege of meeting someone who epitomizes the words "class" and "elegance.¨
Rest in peace, dear lady. You've earned it.
This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.
***********
Beautiful piece written written by my sister Shelly to have a LCISD school named after KK.
Kathleen Joerger Lindsey was born January 7, 1916 and lived her entire life in Rosenberg, Texas. She graduated valedictorian of her high school in 1932 and then went on to graduate as one of the first females from the University of Texas Law School in 1939. When she returned to Rosenberg, she began practicing law with her father, F.X. Joerger and eventually her husband, creating the Rosenberg Abstract Company. She became known as the Southern Lady that worked with an iron fist and the men in her field feared her! She was on the Selection Committee for the Richmond State School and was instrumental in obtaining the school as well. Literacy was high on her list and she was one of the founders of the Fort Bend County Library and in organizing the Book Mobile that brought books to residents before the school libraries were large enough. She was honored by the Rosenberg Railroad Museum as an Outstanding Citizen in 1996 and by the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 2008. She was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Museum, the Pecan Grove Garden Club, the Sweetwater Country Club, the Woman’s Club of Rosenberg, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the Holy Rosary Alter Society, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, the Rosenberg Railroad Museum, the Ex-Students Association of The University of Texas, and a Patron of the Junior League of Houston. She established a trust for the benefit of the Holy Rosary School Library and for the Holy Rosary Alter Society as well as donated funds for the establishment of the Joerger-Lindsey Hall and for the construction of a gazebo in the Rosenberg Seabourne Creek Park in memory of her late husband.
She loved Fort Bend County and her Rosenberg community and believed it was the best place to live. She wanted to give back as much as she felt the community had given her. She was incredibly generous and made contributions to her community anonymously, not wanting the credit or recognition that she had done something special for the public. Naming a school after her would finally recognize her community efforts, participation, contributions, and hopefully, inspire generations to come by her success, achievements, and generosity. Fort Bend County has a rich and extensive history and is only continuing to grow and prosper. Her life and legacy are now part of this county’s history and to honor her and her accomplishments by naming a school on her behalf would only cement her significance in the community. Kathleen Joerger Lindsey is my Great Aunt, and she will always be one of my biggest inspirations!
Family Members
Parents
Siblings
