Ella F. Michalk

Ella Frieda Domann Michalk, age 95 of Austin, TX passed away
Saturday January 30, 2016 after a short illness.

Ella was born to Paul and Hulda nee Urban Domann in Fedor, TX. on September 4, 1920. She was baptized, confirmed and married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fedor, TX.

Ella, one of 6 children, grew up on her family’s farm, chopping and picking cotton and milking the cows. She always reminisced about not missing chopping cotton during the hot Texas summers and she laughed that her big hands were from milking the cows. After finishing school at Trinity Lutheran, she left home and family behind for employment in Houston at the age of 16 years. Houston was the place of employment for many of the Lee County young people during the Depression. Money made helped to support families back home. She worked as a nanny and maid and a cook for several different Houston families. She often spoke of how desperately home sick she was during that time. Around the age of 20, she met the love of her life, Clarence, at her sister, Elsa’s home during a get together in Lincoln, TX.


Soon after Ella and Clarence were married they left Lee County; moving to Austin. Four children were born to them over the years. When her youngest child, Paul, was school age, she went to work for Austin Independent School District, doing what she always did best, cooking. She did this for 20 years, retiring when Clarence retired from his job. They enjoyed traveling to Wisconsin for extended visits with their oldest daughter and her family; enjoying the fishing, the beautiful gardens and weather. They traveled to Germany to visit family. Gardening and canning was a big hobby for them both. Generally, they enjoyed life and each other until Clarence’s death in 1989. They were married for 49 years.

Ella and Clarence moved their church membership from Trinity Lutheran Church in Austin to Redeemer Lutheran Church in 1960 where they were both very active. After Clarence’s death, Mom remained an active church member, participating in the Dorcas Society and other church activities.

In 2010, Ella’s health forced her to move to the SPJST Assisted Living in Taylor, TX. The family wishes to thank Marcie Reyes for her years of personal care and friendship to Mom during her stay at SPJST. In January, 2015 her health again dictated a move to the Clare Creek Personal Care home in Pflugerville, TX where she remained under their excellent care until her death.

Ella’s greatest joy in life was her family, bringing them together, caring for them and, above all else; cooking her big meals and watching the family eat what she cooked. She always measured a person’s worth by how well they ate her cooking; being a picky eater put you low on her measuring stick. Her homemade noodles were always a family favorite!

Ella was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Hulda Domann; husband, Clarence Michalk; daughter, Joyce Schmidt and husband Bob; two great grandchildren, Faith and Adonijah Paau; two brothers, Herbert and Monroe Domann and a sister, Elsa Zscheck.

She is survived by her two daughters, Nancy Tiemann and husband Allan; Sue Finn and husband Dwayne. A son, Paul Michalk and wife Debbie. Sisters, Marie Handrick and Hildergarde Melcher; sisters-in-law, Dora and Dorothy Domann; brother-in-law, Herbert MIchalk and wife Ima Jo. Grandchildren, Kim Geise and her fiancé, Fred Rathsack; Kevin Schmidt and wife, Barb, Kirk Schmidt, Audra Tiemann-Iturbe and husband Luis, Rachel Tiemann, Scott Fowler and wife Alicia, Crystal Fowler, Jason Finn, Beau Michalk, and Garrett Michalk; as well as, numerous, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Clare Creek Personal Care Home owner and all the staff for their care of Ella this past year.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1500 West Anderson Ln., Austin, TX 78757.