Lucie Starr Grider Schwartz

Lucie Starr Grider Schwartz, a descendant of a pioneer Brownsville family, and a devout Catholic, passed away peacefully on May, 25, 2010. Lucie Starr was born to Elmore Starr Grider and Laura Celaya Grider on July 19, 1921, and spent her lifetime in Brownsville.
Lucie Starr graduated from Brownsville High School in 1938. Upon graduation she attended Brownsville Junior College where she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and received the Kiwanis award as the outstanding student. She then attended Incarnate Word College in San Antonio where she was a member Alpha Chi, Alpha Delta Sigma, and the Sodality. She was listed in Whos Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and was Senior Representative in the Student Government Association. Lucie Starr graduated in 1942 and earned a bachelors degree with honors, with a major in Spanish and a minor in French.
In 1944 Lucie Starr married LeRoy Schwartz, a US Cavalry officer from New York City stationed at Ft. Brown. At the end of the war overseas, Captain Schwartz returned to Brownsville where they lived their lives together and raised four children.
Lucie Starr retired from the Brownsville Independent School District after many years as a third grade teacher at Ebony Heights Elementary School. She then worked at the Episcopal Day School as a librarian, a time she especially enjoyed.
She is preceded in death by her husband of fortyfour years, LeRoy Schwartz and grandson Stephen Schwartz. Survivors include her children Richard Schwartz Kathy of Brownsville, Kerry Schwartz Chrissy of South Padre Island, Starr Putegnat Michael of Brownsville, and Deborah Barker of Austin, two sisters Laurita Barber of Houston, and Sherry McNair of Brownsville. Her grandchildren include Richard Schwartz, Jr., Kelly Schwartz, Leslie Schwartz, Kristin Schwartz, Kenna Schwartz, Michael LeRoy Putegnat Jill, Stephen Putegnat, Kevin Putegnat Nydia, Katharine Putegnat, Kenneth Barker, Nicholas Barker, and Karolyn Starr Barker. Her great grandchildren are Genevieve Marie Putegnat, Nydia Viviana Putegnat, and Michael Austin Putegnat. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
There will be a Memorial Mass on Friday, May 28th at 2:00 PM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church maintenance fund or to the Guadalupe Regional Middle School.

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