Brenda Schmitz

Brenda Schmitz, daughter of Frankie and Leona, was born in Gainesville and raised as a member of the community circus. She was the first female president of the student body of Gainesville High School, and attended Christian College in Fulton, Mo for two years. Brenda completed her B.S. at TCU in Speech pathology in 1962. After working briefly for the Boulder, Co schools, she completed her M.S. in education of the deaf at the University of Kansas, and later her educational administration certification.

Brenda taught at the Lela P. Callier School for the Deaf in Dallas and was both a teacher and teacher supervisor at the Callier Center, now part of UTD. She was the much loved elementary principal at the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe for 23 years and middle school principal for two years.

Brenda returned home to Gainesville in 1988 to work with her dad, Frankie, as manager of Schmitz Properties. She participated in the Gainesville Leadership Program and worked on the team to restore the Santa Fe Depot and have it named a historic monument.

Brenda had lived in Denton since 1992 with her partner of 40 years, DiAnne Allison. She served as a surrogate parent for students in Denton ISD, was on the Advisory Committee for the Joe Dale Sparks school at Denton City Juvenile Detention, and sat on a DISD Bond Committee representing special education.

She died peacefully in her Denton home on Saturday, February 27, 2016.

Survivors include: partner DiAnne Allison of Denton; children Hannah and Gracie; cousins Dave and Landy Cooke, Sunya Brown, and Shalay and Kelly Harrington.

In lieu of services, the family will conduct a private celebration-of-life gathering later in the spring.

Memorials may be made to a no-kill animal shelter of one’s choosing.