El Paso – On Monday evening August 3rd., Mildred Feuerstein Kramer, Millie went to sleep and began her journey to Heaven. Mom was born on June 11th., 1926 and over the past ninety-four years she worked hard and earned her rest. Upon mom’s departure a little bit of class and style left earth and arrived in Heaven. Mom felt that a proper lady should never leave the house without doing her makeup and thoughtfully choosing the right outfit and jewelry. Mom continued to do her hair and makeup and got dressed up for the day until the very end. Always one to feel it was more important to look good than to feel good.
Millie grew up in Fabens, Texas and graduated from Fabens high school. Millie worked side by side with her mother, Arminta Brito Fuller, in the general store during the early days in Fabens. Mom would tell us that everyone came to their store to get provisions, food, clothing and essentials. During the great depression they would turn nobody away, just put it on account and make sure each person had food to eat and shoes to wear. Mom also worked as a telephone operator and worked for the Royal family helping to manage the Royal Arms motel. It was on a bowling outing with her sister Dora LeBlanc that Millie caught the eye of her future husband Robert and the courtship began. Mom spoke of Robert as her true love and the many love notes and letters sent evidenced a great romance. They soon wed and mom moved to Ysleta, Texas to live with Robert in the onsite home at Western Concrete Works, helping Bob by answering the phone and taking messages while he was out in the plant mixing concrete and producing precast concrete products and concrete pipe for the city of El Paso and Ft. Bliss.
Mom worked side by side as a homemaker and helpmate to Bob until his death in 1971 at the plant. Bob’s death was a real blow to mom, she was left at a young age with three children, Louann, Leo and David, to provide for and had to figure out how to run a business in a man’s world, 1971 was a different time. Bankers and trust officers advised mom to sell the business telling her to use any proceeds to travel since “a woman had no ability to run a business. “Mom decided then that she was going to hold onto the business her husband began and do whatever it took to keep it open for her family and future generations. “No man was going to tell mom what she could or couldn’t do. “Mom held the business together and struggled after Bob’s death. She hired John Edward Kramer to help her run the business and he became the general manager. After several years John and Mom got married and mom embarked on her second marriage. Mom was a tough cookie and kept an eye on Kramer who proved to be a loyal husband and a good addition to the family and a friend and mentor to her three children. Kramer worked hard and mom buried her second husband in 2014. In 1986 mom began selling the business Western Precast Concrete to her two sons David and Leo, making sure that they worked for their shares and understood the value of paying for, not getting for free, something of value.
Mom’s strength and never give up philosophy preserved a great opportunity for her family’s future. After her first husband Bob’s death, she never put a man before her children. Making her children a priority, she ensured that each got a good education and understood responsibility and hard work. Mom was a self-taught gourmet chef, preparing nightly dinners for her family was a priority. Mom made sure that a tablecloth and complete table setting for each person was set each night. It was normal for the family to enjoy fancy dinners nightly. Preparing, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, German, Middle Eastern, meals was a normal event. Mom knew there was no problem a gourmet meal wouldn’t cure. Mom took cooking classes most all of her life, starting in Ysleta at the Woman’s Club, attending classes with the Galloping Gourmet when visiting El Paso, and in later years taking cooking classes with local chefs through continuing education at UTEP, always commenting after a class,that was delicious but I already know how to prepare that dish.
During The past four years mom began needing more assistance, all her children were there to lend assistance and take care of her every need. Louann was especially instrumental in making daily visits, taking care of medications, doctor’s appointments and other needs. Mom wanted to have her hair and nails done weekly and was still visiting the beauty shop until it became harder and then Maria Castro, one of mom’s caregivers would make sure her hair was done, and her makeup was always just perfect. Millie was a strong supporter and volunteer at the Assistance League still working daily upto a couple years ago. It was a life well lived, a life of hard work, great dresses and shoes, good food, and family. Our world will miss those great outfits, purses and shoes, but Heaven Just a bit classier now.
Millie is preceded in death by her husbands Robert Leo Feuerstein, John Edward Kramer, her mother Arminta Brito Fuller, her sister Dora LeBlanc, her brother Benny Fuller, and father Nathan Fuller. Momis survived by her daughter Louann Feuerstein Burrows (Lloyd “Chip”), her sons Leo Feuerstein (Daniel Tovar), and David Feuerstein (Veronica), grandchildren Bailey Oleary (Kyle), Casey Feuerstein and Alan Feuerstein, great grandsons Hunter and Hayden Oleary, nieces Donnavee Thomas (the late Vince Thomas), Beverly LeBlanc and Jorjean Moreno (Mario). A special thanks to the angels who gave mom care we are forever grateful; Flor Rueda, Margarita Ramirez, Romelia Martinez and Maria Castro. Visitation was held at Martin East on George Dieter, on Wednesday the 12th., of August 2020.
Obituary: Mildred Feuerstein Kramer, El Paso Times,Texas, August 9th and 10th, 2020.
