Lillian Ruth Gold-Piwonka

Lillian was born on the family farm outside of Caldwell, Texas on February 16, 1926 to Adolph Gold and Mary Hoyack-Gold. Lillian had two siblings, an older half-brother, Henry, and younger sister, Mildred, who all grew up contributing to the farm. Lillian was a career-long teacher, starting her education by attending the one-room Providence schoolhouse over two miles from the farm. Upon graduation, she was offered a teaching position there as long as she attained a teaching certificate. She continued her education by attending Sam Houston State Teachers College during the summers and completed her undergraduate degree in 1949. Lillian also went the extra mile at Sam Houston to complete her Master of Education degree in ‘51. At that time over 70 years ago, it was uncommon for a woman to attain a Master’s degree.

On June 28, 1953, she married Robert (Bob) Piwonka and moved to Snook to teach elementary school. They soon moved to Bryan where she taught at Bowie Elementary and Bob had been a barber in the mornings across from A&M at North Gate and worked on the farm in the afternoons. They lived with her widowed mother and two daughters on Aspen Street until moving into their home on Sul Ross in 1972. Bob passed of pancreatic cancer in 1978 and Lillian retired from Bowie in 1981. She has lived in their home ever since.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Adolph and Mary Hoyack Gold; husband, Robert Piwonka; half-brother Henry Gold, Sr. of Texarkana; brother-in-law, Barney Beran. Surviving are her sister, Mildred Gold Piwonka; daughter Pamela Stevenson and her children, Ashley Stevenson Dent (Jason), great-grandsons, Jax, Beckett and Knox; son Clayton Stevenson and wife Haily with a baby on the way; daughter Lisa Piwonka Schmitt (Phil) and their children, Robert, Audrey and Michael; sisters-in-law, Lela Piwonka and Dorothy Fuller; and countless nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are Robert Schmitt, Clayton Stevenson, Michael Schmitt, AJ Zboril, Braeden Benys and Jaxston Benys.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Amedisys Hospice Foundation, 226 S. Live Oak St., Bellville, Texas 77418.