Sireta Michalak

Sireta Michalak, age 95, passed away peacefully at home in Cedar Creek on Thursday March 31st, with her son, daughter-in-law and daughter by her side. As a beloved sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, godmother, aunt, and friend, Sireta will be remembered for her devotion to family and the love and kindness she showed to everyone she met. Throughout her long life she enjoyed books, travel, music, volunteering in her community, Beaumier family reunions, and celebrating each of her loved ones and their milestones in life.

On September 2, 1926, the Lord blessed us with Sireta Velma Beaumier. She was born the eldest of three children in Brenham, Texas to Louis James Beaumier and Velma Hamblen Beaumier. Graduating from Brenham High School in 1943, Sireta attended Texas State College for Women (later renamed Texas Women’s University) in Denton, where she earned a degree in Library Science in 1946. Her first job as a librarian was back at Brenham High School in 1947. In 1948, she moved to Houston to work at Milby High School. On February 4, 1950, Sireta married her high school sweetheart, Frank J. Michalak, Jr. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Brenham, a marriage that lasted 67 years until Frankie’s death on September 22, 2017. They were blessed with four children, Frank III, Michael, Marian, and John, making their family home in Pasadena, Texas. From 1960 to 1982, Sireta continued her career as the librarian at Hartman Junior High. She took great pride in her career as a librarian, sharing her love of books with family and friends her entire life. In 1975, Sireta and Frank purchased a small farm in Praha, TX on a hill overlooking a historic “painted church”, and they retired to live there full-time in 1985. They volunteered together in Praha and Flatonia for 30 years. They were active in their parish community at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Praha. Sireta served as President of the Altar Society for 10 years, as a docent for the “painted church” tours, and as a lector for Sunday masses, while Frank sang in the church choir. They delivered meals to the elderly with Meals on Wheels and they helped voters at the polls during elections. Sireta spent over 20 years volunteering as a librarian at the Flatonia Public Library. Some of her favorite things were chocolate, coffee, reading and shopping, and she cherished family heirlooms. She enjoyed music by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Willie Nelson. Sireta never passed up the opportunity to travel. She loved shopping in NYC, and sightseeing throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. Sireta often traveled to Houston and Dallas to spend time with family. She traveled to Mexico once with her daughter-in-law Rita, to visit her granddaughter, Theresa, who was studying abroad at El Tec de Monterrey in Mexico. After the passing of her beloved Frankie, Sireta spent her final years with her eldest son and daughter-in law in Cedar Creek, Texas.

Sireta is survived by three children and their spouses: Frank J. Michalak III and Rita Michalak of Cedar Creek, Micheal and Jeanne Michalak of Tenaha, and Marian Michalak Toscano and Jesus Toscano of Dallas; eight grandchildren: Karlee Michalak Thompson, Theresa Michalak Alvarez, Tracy Michalak Laney, Joel Michalak, Paige Patton Green, Shelly Patton, Sam Tosacano, and Lena Toscano; nine great-grandchildren: Haden Courts, Charlee Alpaugh, Cassidy Jeanne Thompson, Darby Thompson, Presleigh Scopel, Sofia Alvarez, Joseph Alvarez, Kaden Laney, and Claire Laney; one great-great-granddaughter, Avery Courts; goddaughters Pauline Beaumier Green and Alyssa Green Ervine; beloved cousin, Marian Gindler, and numerous nieces and nephews. Sireta is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her infant son, John, and the recent passing of her younger siblings, Louis “Brother” Beaumier and Katharine “Sister” Beaumier Elliott.

Visitation for Sireta will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2022 from 2pm to 7pm with family present from 5 pm to 7pm at Brenham Memorial Chapel. Rosary will be recited at 6 pm. Requiem Mass will be celebrated at 10 am Thursday April 7, 2022, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Brenham. Following the funeral rites, Sireta will be laid to rest beside her parents, husband and infant son at Prairie Lea Cemetery amongst many generations of Beaumiers and Michalaks.

In lieu of flowers, those who would like to honor her life are asked to make a monetary donation of their choosing to the memorial book fund at the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library, 100 MLK Pkywy, Brenham, Tx 77833. Contact Idalia Vezuela at 979-337-7201 or email IAvezuela@cityof brenham.org.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel and online condolences may be shared with the family at www.brenhammemorialchapel.com.