Jeanette Cecile Venza Sowers, Family Matriarch and retired teacher, died December 16, 2009, at 101 years young. A South Park High School graduate, Jeanette attended Sam Houston State Teachers College in Huntsville, Texas and received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education. 

She taught at Ogden School until she married her college sweetheart, J. Cullen Sowers on September 5, 1934.   Jeanette taught school in Virginia during World War II while her husband was stationed at the Pentagon She taught in the Austin school district while Cullen was working on his doctorate. She & Cullen moved to Commerce, Texas when he became dean of East Texas University. After her husband's death, she moved back to Beaumont to be near her family.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Cullen, who died in 1972; her parents, N.E and Margarette Cuchia Venza; and her siblings, Sadie Massa, Dora Santangelo, Dr. J. R. Venza, Julian Venza, Phillipine Durso, John Venza, Velma Heckard, Anthony Venza and Ernestine Tramonte.

Although Jeanette and Cullen had no children, she is survived by numerous loving nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Christine Mickles, Doris Brown, Bessie Pollard, and all of the Encompass Health Care ladies, especially Shelia, Leigh, and Gloria, who took such loving care of our Aunt Jean.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 21, 2009, at St. Jude Thaddeaus Catholic Church, 6895 Gladys, Beaumont, Texas.  Interment will follow at Magnolia Cemetery under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont. A gathering of her family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00p.m. Sunday, December 20, 2009, with a Rosary recited at 5:30 p.m., at the mortuary.

Memorial contributions may be made to the J. Cullen Sowers Masters Scholarship Fund at Texas A &M University- Commerce, P.O. Box 3011, Commerce, Texas, 75429; or the Jeanette and Cullen Sowers Scholarship Fund at Sam Houston State University, P.O. Box 2537, Huntsville, Texas 77341.