Aileen Chumchal

Aileen Marie Chumchal, 93, of Wharton went to be with the Lord on Monday, September 4, 2023. She was born on August 2, 1930, to the late Louis and Beatrice Polasek Schmidt of Hillje, TX. 

Aileen was raised in Hillje and attended school in Hillje and El Campo. She graduated from El Campo High School in 1948. After graduation from high school, she went to work for Southwestern Bell as a telephone operator for 7 years.

She met the love of her life, Irvin Chumchal of Hungerford and they were married on August 27, 1955. Upon their marriage, they moved to Wharton and together they raised a family of 7 children. She returned to Southwestern Bell in 1972 in Bay City as a customer service representative. She later moved to Southwestern Bell’s Wharton office and then to the Rosenberg office until her retirement in 1986. She had a very outgoing personality which came across both in her professional and personal life. 

Aileen had a passion for cooking, baking, canning and pickling. She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed spending time in her kitchen. To show love for her family, she always prepared a delicious Sunday dinner for all to enjoy. She took great joy in teaching her daughters how to cook and was proud to pass down her homemade recipes. 

Aileen also loved to shop, especially in locally-owned businesses in the Wharton and El Campo areas. She could always find something to buy not only for herself, but for her husband, children and grandchildren to show how much she cared. She would also shop for her friends and their children and grandchildren. Her generosity was endless and very much appreciated. 

Aileen and Irvin found time for themselves by enjoying going to dances with friends on Saturday nights. There was also an annual summer trip to the beach with families of several close friends. She said she spent the whole day counting heads. They were also involved in attending and chaperoning school band trips with their children. 

Aileen was a lifelong Catholic with a strong faith in God and was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother (Grannie), aunt and a dear friend.

Aileen was preceded in death by her husband and her parents as well as her sisters, Martha Holub and Henrietta Bures and brothers, Edwin Schmidt and Gilbert Schmidt. 

Aileen is survived by her 3 daughters, Karol (Michael) Curran of Dallas, Cindy (James) Marek of Wallis, Lana (Simon) Leech of Amarillo, and 4 sons, Roy, Curtis, Kelly (Sandra) and Wes Chumchal, all of Wharton, her 12 grandchildren, Brandon Curran, Michaela (Steven) Overturf, Myles (Courtney) Marek, Mason Marek, Nathan Leech, Derrick, Courtney, Ross, Kurt, Kyle, Hannah and Ralston Chumchal, and her 6 great grandchildren, Bayleigh, Hudson, Madelyn, Knox, Ava and Finn and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Memorial donations may be made to; Houston Hospice-El Campo, 1102 N Mechanic St., El Campo, TX 77437.

Visitation will be held Saturday, September 16, 2023 starting at 9:00 a.m. with a rosary recited by the Catholic Daughters at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Hungerford, TX. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. with Father Charles Dwomoh officiating. Interment will follow at the Wharton Cemetery in Wharton, TX.