September 3, 1929 - February 5, 2024
The services celebrating and honoring the life of Beatrice Ann (Milacek) Schovanec (Granny Bea) are under the direction of Brown Cummings, A life celebration home. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M., Friday February 9, 2024, with viewing starting Wednesday. A service will be held at the Bivins Chapel in the Marshall Building at NOC (Phillips University), 2301 East Randolph Avenue, Enid, on 10:00 A.M. Saturday, February 10, 2024, followed by burial in the Bison Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Waukomis Elementary School cafeteria, located at 316 West Locust Street, Waukomis.
Beatrice was born in Waukomis, Oklahoma to Charles V. and Anna (Semrad) Milacek at her parent’s home on September 3, 1929, and passed away peacefully at her home in Enid on February 5, 2024.
Beatrice attended elementary school at the Happy Valley Country School and graduated from Waukomis High School in 1947. She went on to attend college at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University), earning a BS in Home Economics in 1950.
Beatrice met Leonard Leroy Schovanec in school, started dating after he returned from service in 1947, and they married on October 23, 1950. They had a full life made richer by raising their family of 12 on a farm south of Waukomis, and opened their home to Leonard’s siblings, Sister Deborah and Virgil Schovanec, after their parents passed. After Leonard’s death in 1981, Beatrice moved to Enid, and all the children continued to pursue their education, all earning college degrees and enjoying success in a wide range of careers.
Beatrice returned to school in 1967 and earned her Master’s degree in education from Phillips University in Enid, OK. Using childcare for her two youngest children, Beatrice started the Kindergarten program at Waukomis Elementary. She also taught several different grade levels and was later named principal of the elementary school. Beatrice later earned the honor of Garfield County Teacher of the Year in 1975 as well as Enid Teacher of the Year in 1989 while teaching in the Enid Public School system.
After teaching for 23 years, Beatrice remained actively involved in the Garfield County Republican Women’s Club and the County Republican Party. She campaigned for her brother, Robert Milacek, when he ran for the State Senate after serving in the House of Representatives. Beatrice dedicated many years working with the Enid Literacy Program. This program was a very important part of her life and she served as a trainer, tutor, board member and President.
Beatrice was also involved in the Happy Valley Extension Club, a member of the Metro Board, a supporter of the YWCA and the Child Advocacy Organization that was started by her brother, Robert Milacek.
Beatrice cherished her Czech heritage and grew up bilingual, speaking Czech at home. She carried on many special traditions, including a love for polka dancing and Czech food. Beatrice made three visits to the Czech Republic and her Czech speaking was well understood. She was able to enjoy her children finding and visiting her grandparents and great-grandparents’ homes in the Czech Republic, ultimately purchasing her grandmother’s (Anna Taborsky Milacek) childhood home.
Having the family home for the holidays and attending weddings, graduations and other events was a priority for Beatrice (Granny Bea). She will be remembered for her thoughtfulness of sending hand-crafted birthday and anniversary cards to everyone in her family even when “everyone” totaled over 100 family members.
Beatrice will be remembered by all those that loved her. She is survived by her children Edward, Lawrence (Patty Jarvis), Patricia (Tom King), Dorothy, Joseph (Sandy Keck), Loretta (Bob Dynan), Thomas, John (Rose Brown), Annette (Roy Culver), Rebecca (Brett Miller) and Philip (Wendi Bullard). She is also survived by her siblings George Milacek, Alice Diederich, Agnes Shue and over 50 grandchildren (and their spouses) and great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Leonard, her daughter Evelyn, her daughter-in-law Amy, her siblings Teresa, Alfred, Robert and Charles.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association or Garfield County Child Advocacy, the CARE Campus.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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