Lawrence Hemann

Lawrence Henry Hemann, 72, of Brenham, died Friday evening, October 21, 2011 at Scott and White Hospital in Brenham. He was born March 10, 1939 in Navasota, Texas to Henry Jr. and Olga Finke Hemann. Lawrence was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in White Hall on March 26, 1939 and confirmed in the same church on April 6, 1952. On February 25, 1967, he was united in marriage to Ruth Scurlock at St. Paul''s Lutheran Church in Brenham by Rev. Thomas Swygert. Lawrence was a 1957 graduate of Navasota High School. He attended Blinn College and received Bachelor of Science and Master of Agriculture degrees from Sam Houston State University and did post-graduate work at Texas A&M, Arizona State, and Colorado State Universities. From 1964 until his retirement in 2000, Lawrence was an agriculture instructor at Blinn''s Brenham campus. He was chairman of the Applied Arts and Sciences Division and served as the college''s Director of Transportation at the time of his retirement. In 1974, he was selected as an Outstanding Educator of America. He had been involved with the Washington County Fair Association since 1967, serving as the fair''s entertainment director for many years, and as fair president during 1988 ½ 1989. Since that time, he has continued in his service to the fair association as a member of the executive board of directors. In 1996, Lawrence was elected president of the Texas Association of Fairs and Events. He was inducted into the organization''s Hall of Fame, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. His hobbies included working on his farm at White Hall, deer hunting and rebuilding old farm engines, bringing them back to life. After repairs, he often displayed them at various fairs and festivals. Lawrence was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, where he served as chairman of the congregation, as an elder, and on various other committees. Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Ruth Hemann; son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Shelly Hemann of Brenham, and his daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Wil Schulz of Houston; his five grandsons: Cody, Caleb, and Cole Schulz, and Brody and Brayden Hemann, all of whom he loved dearly. Also surviving are his sister and brother-in-law, Diana and Nelson Randermann; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Lee and Barbara Schroeder, aunts Alice Hemann, Evelyn Hemann, and Erna Hemann of Navasota; numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives and many dear friends; his special caregivers: Regina Hernandez, Sharon Johnson, and Andrea Howard. Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Jr. and Olga Hemann; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Alvin and Minnie Scurlock, and his grandparents. Serving as pallbearers are Randy Randermann, Gary Goessler, Brian Lorenz, Grant Parker, Scott Neumann, Don Voelter, Doug Pierce, Johnnie Wayne Schroeder, and Fred Estes. Honorary pallbearers are Cody, Caleb, and Cole Schulz, Brody and Brayden Hemann, Washington Co. Fair Executive Board members, Brenham Poor Boy Hunters, Tommy Supak, Ray Wellmann, and Ron Woltmann. Memorials may be given to the Lawrence Hemann Endowed Scholarship Fund at Blinn College, or to Grace Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends and relatives from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 24, 2011 at Memorial Oaks Chapel. The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25 at Grace Lutheran Church, with Pastors Matthew Jacobs and William Holzer officiating. Burial will be in Prairie Lea Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.