William Schiller

William Daniel "Dan" Schiller January 21, 1932 to May 13, 2011 Exemplifying the importance of long-standing commitment, Dan Schiller served his community and family faithfully throughout his life. He will be remembered for his quiet pursuit of excellence and for his good humor. An instructor at Blinn College for forty-four years, Dan believed in the value of education. He was always searching for fresh ways to communicate concepts of literature and writing to his students. Over the years, he mentored other Blinn teachers as well. Dan served as president of Blinn College Faculty Council and president of Blinn College Professional Association. He earned several teaching certificates and scholarships, including two National Endowment for the Humanities grants for study at Notre Dame University and Boston University. The son of William Russell and Mary Irene McCloy Schiller, Dan began his education at St. Lawrence Parochial School and graduated from Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He continued his studies at Xavier University in Cincinnati, earning a B.S. in English and Economics in 1959 and an M.Ed. from Xavier in 1965. While he continued his education, he taught high school and grade school in Ohio and Texas. In Texas, he taught in Killeen as a member of the Catholic Lay Mission Corps. The NDEA Institute for Secondary English Teachers at Texas A&M University in l965 proved to be a turning point in his life. He remained in Texas as an instructor and continued his education at Texas A&M, earning an M.A. in English in 1970. When he was not in the classroom, Dan devoted much of his time to his immediate family: his wife of forty-four years, Elizabeth Lednicky Schiller, and his three children, Teresa Schiller, Rebecca Schiller Kumar, and Edward Schiller. Dan enjoyed playing games like "Lion and Sheep" with his children when they were young and helping them later on in life to prepare for spelling bee contests and other academic challenges. In recent years, "Grandpa Dan" enjoyed playing with Rebecca''s three young children. He was looking forward to playing with Rebecca''s fourth child, who is expected within the next few days. Though far from his native town of Cincinnati, Dan stayed in touch with his parents and eight brothers and sisters through phone calls, letters, and visits. He is survived by seven brothers and sisters and their spouses -- Thomas and Joyce Schiller, Nancy Timon, Janet and Tim Weil, Irene and Denny Binder, Dorothy and Jim Robinson, Barbara and Paul Ammann, Linda and Mike Maloney, and sister-in-law Mabel Schiller. He was preceded in death by his brother Charles Schiller and brother-in-law Bill Timon. Dan also became close to Elizabeth''s Texan family, including her parents and six brothers and sisters and their children. He was particularly close to his brothers-in-law. Dan dedicated time during his life to community service as well. A devout Catholic, he attended church every Sunday at either St. Mary''s Catholic Church in Brenham or St. Mary''s Catholic Church in West, Texas. He recently was named to the St. Mary''s Parish Council in Brenham after serving as a member of St. Vincent De Paul Society and as a lector, usher, and instructor of after-school religious education. Dan also was a faculty sponsor of Catholic Student Union of Blinn. An active member of Brenham Evening Lions Club for many years, he was honored to serve as the club''s president. Dan also served for four years in the United States Navy, and his duties included working as a sonar operator on submarines. He was proud of his friends and family members who showed similar dedication to their country, including three nephews and one niece who are now serving in the military. Dan''s family will greet visitors on Monday, May 16, 2011, at Memorial Oaks Chapel in Brenham from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. They will say a rosary in his memory at 7:00 p.m. The funeral will be held at St. Mary''s Catholic Church in Brenham at 10:00 a.m. on May 17, 2011, with Father David Ivey officiating. The pallbearers will be Mark Bernier, Larry Chilton, Charles Heller, Jeff Janner, Jeff Scott, and Donald Voelter. Honorary pallbearers will be Wilfred Dietrich and Larry Dawson. A burial service will follow at St. Mary''s Cemetery in West at 4:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be directed to Blinn College Foundation; to St. Mary, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Building Fund in Brenham; or to St. Mary''s Catholic School in West.