Page 10 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2019- Online Magazine

Ronnie Elsie Schilling
In Every Season
by Brandon Houston
In our family, there is never a love
story told without the mention
of the couple lovingly known as
Ronnie and Elsie. They are my
grandparents, and I cannot think of
anyone else who defines the word
love more than these two.
Ronald Clem Schilling was born on
his family’s farm in Slaton, Texas
on December 20, 1934. Ronnie, as
he was more commonly known,
was one of twelve children born to
Herman and Mary Schilling. His
older siblings were
convinced that he
was brought over
in the doctor’s
black medical bag
because, every time
the doctor visited,
another baby was in
the house. Ronnie
attended school in
Slaton, St. Joseph’s
for elementary,
and then Slaton
High School where
he graduated in
1953. He served in
the United States
Army from January
1955 to January
1957, completing his service as a
Specialist Third Class in Intelligence
and Reconnaissance. After
10 Lubbock Senior Link
returning home from the Army, he
took up the family profession of
farming cotton. My grandparent’s
bedroom sits about 60 feet from
where my Grandad was born.
Elsie Marie Schacher was born on
August 2, 1939 in Tulia, Texas, to
parents, Louie and Elma Schacher;
however, as she is quick to point Ronnie unexpectedly had to cancel
out, she moved to Nazareth, Texas a date to tend to a sick cow. Elsie’s
as soon as she could. She grew father told a clearly disappointed
up on her parents’ farm, where daughter that it takes a man of
the house built by her grandfather great responsibility and character to
still stands to cancel a date to tend to his duties as
this day. Elsie a farmer.
graduated from
Nazareth High One of my favorite stories was
School in 1957. about the time Grandad was
courting my grandmother, and
During their one of Slaton’s police officers was
youth, dances convinced he was a bootlegger
were held because he was making so many
in different trips back and forth between Slaton
German and Nazareth. Little did the officer
Catholic know, it wasn’t alcohol that he was
communities, bringing back to Slaton; it was a
and it was at full heart and the determination to
one such dance marry a certain Nazareth girl. As he
in Nazareth jokingly told Elsie, he either had to
that Ronnie get married or buy a new car!
and Elsie met.
Ronnie and Ronnie and Elsie married on
Elsie loved to dance, with the waltz November 7, 1961 at the Holy
being their favorite, especially Family Catholic Church in
the songs Waltz Across Texas and Nazareth, returning to the Schilling
Cattle Call. While they were dating, Farm in Slaton. Their love