Sylvia Schlather

Sylvia Jane Strickland Schlather entered this world at 13 pounds on 3-6-36. Being that date is exactly one hundred years after the fall of the Alamo, we always knew that she was destined to become a Texan.  She grew up in beautiful Fayetteville, North Carolina and worked as a civil servant after business school.  Ernie Schlather met his Sylvia Jane on a blind date while he served in the Army at Fort Bragg.  The Texan and the Tar Heel were married in 1959 and Jane Elaine joined them in 1960.  They moved back to Ernie’s home town of Cibolo in 1961 and welcomed Nancy Elizabeth and John Ernst to complete their family.

Sylvia was always Ernie’s partner in E.H. Schlather and Sons.  Utilizing her bookkeeping skills, she could be found working on the ledgers at the kitchen table as well as carting her three children in the station wagon to all of their meetings, practices and games.  When Ernie became Justice of the Peace, she helped him with all that entailed too.  When the kids were grown, Sylvia and Ernie worked together behind the counter at the feed store until Ernie’s death in 2000.

Sylvia loved her Schlather family in Cibolo, but that station wagon always took a summer road trip to the pine trees of Fayetteville.  So many good times were had with her North Carolina family between Nanny and Pop’s house and fishing and swimming at the beach.

The Schlather family has always been believers in public service. Sylvia was no exception.  She served several terms on the SCUC school board and the Guadalupe County Appraisal District board.  She appreciated serving on the Consistory and worshipping at St. Paul Church in downtown Cibolo.  Supporting the community was important.  For example, team bowling at Cibolo Bowling Club was an activity that she and Ernie enjoyed for many years.

Ernie introduced Sylvia to the two-step, and they were often found gliding effortlessly across a Texas dance floor.  Sylvia entered Heaven on February 21, 2022, and she and Ernie are hand-in-hand once more.

Sylvia Jane Strickland Schlather was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie and their eldest daughter, Jane Elaine.  She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Hinze and husband, Terry, and her son, John Schlather and wife, Sherri.  She treasured her time as grandmother to Reece (Ashley) Hinze, Lee Hinze, Julie (Jared) Tucke, and Austin Schlather along with her two great-grandchildren, Emery Hinze and Fritz Tucke.

Visitation will be Friday, March 4th from 4 to 7:30 at St. Paul Church in Cibolo.  Graveside service will be at Sunset Memorial in San Antonio at 11:00 on March 5th.

Please add to obituary:  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Paul Evangelical Church 108 S. Main St  Cibolo Tx 78108.