Having completed her last dance recital, Ella Ilse Schmidt passed away on May 16, 2015 at the age of 96, two months shy of 97.
She was lovingly referred to as “Teacher” by her many dance students, and as “Mom” by her family. She died peacefully after a short illness. Ella was born July 16, 1918 in Victoria, Texas to Gus and Lidie Ilse. She was the youngest of five children.
With her family, she relocated to Corpus Christi sometime after the 1919 storm, where, in 1940, she met and married her husband of 63 years, James E. (Jimmy) Schmidt. Together they had two sons, James. J. (“Jeff”) Schmidt and Michael B. (“Mike”) Schmidt. Ella retired from dance, at the age of 54 after 38 years as a professional ballet, tap and jazz teacher and as the owner of the “Ella Ilse Studio of Dance”. Ella began dance at the age of 7 as a student of Margaret Grant. She began teaching dance around the age of 16, conducting dance lessons for children, at ten cents a week, in the front room of her mother’s house in Corpus Christi. She later conducted classes at the Carpenter’s Hall on Morgan Street. In 1946, Ella and Jimmy bought a church building on Brownlee and relocated the Ella Ilse Studio of Dance into it, from which it bloomed and grew. Around 1962, the dance studio was moved to 514 Sharon, off Alameda, where it remained until 1970. In 1970, Ella sold her studio to a former student and it was once again moved, this time relocating to Everhart Street, where it remains today, as the Munro Ballet School.
Over her many years, Ella, in addition to teaching dance, was an active member of the Dance Masters of America and the Texas Association of Teachers of Dance. Her talent for choreography was reflected in her annual student recitals sponsored by the Civitains, held at Del Mar Auditorium. During early years, her favorite aunt, Ollie Ilse made many of the costumes used in these performances. Later, her beloved sister, Norma Anderson joined her in running the Studio. Her talent for choreography was also reflected in other presentations at the Lyric Theater, the Little Theater and Theater in the Round. In 1963, she joined with others, in founding the Corpus Christi Civic Ballet and choreographed its debut performance of the “Nutcracker” with the Corpus Christi Symphony under the directorship of famed conductor, Maurice Peress. Many of her ex-students have enjoyed successful professional carriers in dance. Her torch for dance was passed to her granddaughter, Holly Schmidt. Ella was one of the early professional female entrepreneurs in Corpus, who never bothered with glass ceilings. In her retirement years she devoted her life to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockport, Texas and its ministries.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy, her grandson Zak, her sisters Norma Anderson, Florence Ilse, and her brothers Arthur Ilse and Charlie Ilse.
Visitation will be held followed by a rosary to be recited at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Home, 1222 Morgan at 10th. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 2045 18th Street (across from Del Mar College), Corpus Christi, TX.
Interment will follow at Seaside Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be her five grandchildren and Phil Anderson.
She was lovingly referred to as “Teacher” by her many dance students, and as “Mom” by her family. She died peacefully after a short illness. Ella was born July 16, 1918 in Victoria, Texas to Gus and Lidie Ilse. She was the youngest of five children.
With her family, she relocated to Corpus Christi sometime after the 1919 storm, where, in 1940, she met and married her husband of 63 years, James E. (Jimmy) Schmidt. Together they had two sons, James. J. (“Jeff”) Schmidt and Michael B. (“Mike”) Schmidt. Ella retired from dance, at the age of 54 after 38 years as a professional ballet, tap and jazz teacher and as the owner of the “Ella Ilse Studio of Dance”. Ella began dance at the age of 7 as a student of Margaret Grant. She began teaching dance around the age of 16, conducting dance lessons for children, at ten cents a week, in the front room of her mother’s house in Corpus Christi. She later conducted classes at the Carpenter’s Hall on Morgan Street. In 1946, Ella and Jimmy bought a church building on Brownlee and relocated the Ella Ilse Studio of Dance into it, from which it bloomed and grew. Around 1962, the dance studio was moved to 514 Sharon, off Alameda, where it remained until 1970. In 1970, Ella sold her studio to a former student and it was once again moved, this time relocating to Everhart Street, where it remains today, as the Munro Ballet School.
Over her many years, Ella, in addition to teaching dance, was an active member of the Dance Masters of America and the Texas Association of Teachers of Dance. Her talent for choreography was reflected in her annual student recitals sponsored by the Civitains, held at Del Mar Auditorium. During early years, her favorite aunt, Ollie Ilse made many of the costumes used in these performances. Later, her beloved sister, Norma Anderson joined her in running the Studio. Her talent for choreography was also reflected in other presentations at the Lyric Theater, the Little Theater and Theater in the Round. In 1963, she joined with others, in founding the Corpus Christi Civic Ballet and choreographed its debut performance of the “Nutcracker” with the Corpus Christi Symphony under the directorship of famed conductor, Maurice Peress. Many of her ex-students have enjoyed successful professional carriers in dance. Her torch for dance was passed to her granddaughter, Holly Schmidt. Ella was one of the early professional female entrepreneurs in Corpus, who never bothered with glass ceilings. In her retirement years she devoted her life to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockport, Texas and its ministries.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy, her grandson Zak, her sisters Norma Anderson, Florence Ilse, and her brothers Arthur Ilse and Charlie Ilse.
Visitation will be held followed by a rosary to be recited at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Home, 1222 Morgan at 10th. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 2045 18th Street (across from Del Mar College), Corpus Christi, TX.
Interment will follow at Seaside Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be her five grandchildren and Phil Anderson.
Having completed her last dance recital, Ella Ilse Schmidt passed away on May 16, 2015 at the age of 96, two months shy of 97.
She was lovingly referred to as “Teacher” by her many dance students, and as “Mom” by her family. She died peacefully after a short illness. Ella was born July 16, 1918 in Victoria, Texas to Gus and Lidie Ilse. She was the youngest of five children.
With her family, she relocated to Corpus Christi sometime after the 1919 storm, where, in 1940, she met and married her husband of 63 years, James E. (Jimmy) Schmidt. Together they had two sons, James. J. (“Jeff”) Schmidt and Michael B. (“Mike”) Schmidt. Ella retired from dance, at the age of 54 after 38 years as a professional ballet, tap and jazz teacher and as the owner of the “Ella Ilse Studio of Dance”. Ella began dance at the age of 7 as a student of Margaret Grant. She began teaching dance around the age of 16, conducting dance lessons for children, at ten cents a week, in the front room of her mother’s house in Corpus Christi. She later conducted classes at the Carpenter’s Hall on Morgan Street. In 1946, Ella and Jimmy bought a church building on Brownlee and relocated the Ella Ilse Studio of Dance into it, from which it bloomed and grew. Around 1962, the dance studio was moved to 514 Sharon, off Alameda, where it remained until 1970. In 1970, Ella sold her studio to a former student and it was once again moved, this time relocating to Everhart Street, where it remains today, as the Munro Ballet School.
Over her many years, Ella, in addition to teaching dance, was an active member of the Dance Masters of America and the Texas Association of Teachers of Dance. Her talent for choreography was reflected in her annual student recitals sponsored by the Civitains, held at Del Mar Auditorium. During early years, her favorite aunt, Ollie Ilse made many of the costumes used in these performances. Later, her beloved sister, Norma Anderson joined her in running the Studio. Her talent for choreography was also reflected in other presentations at the Lyric Theater, the Little Theater and Theater in the Round. In 1963, she joined with others, in founding the Corpus Christi Civic Ballet and choreographed its debut performance of the “Nutcracker” with the Corpus Christi Symphony under the directorship of famed conductor, Maurice Peress. Many of her ex-students have enjoyed successful professional carriers in dance. Her torch for dance was passed to her granddaughter, Holly Schmidt. Ella was one of the early professional female entrepreneurs in Corpus, who never bothered with glass ceilings. In her retirement years she devoted her life to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockport, Texas and its ministries.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy, her grandson Zak, her sisters Norma Anderson, Florence Ilse, and her brothers Arthur Ilse and Charlie Ilse.
Visitation will be held followed by a rosary to be recited at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Home, 1222 Morgan at 10th. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 2045 18th Street (across from Del Mar College), Corpus Christi, TX.
Interment will follow at Seaside Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be her five grandchildren and Phil Anderson.
She was lovingly referred to as “Teacher” by her many dance students, and as “Mom” by her family. She died peacefully after a short illness. Ella was born July 16, 1918 in Victoria, Texas to Gus and Lidie Ilse. She was the youngest of five children.
With her family, she relocated to Corpus Christi sometime after the 1919 storm, where, in 1940, she met and married her husband of 63 years, James E. (Jimmy) Schmidt. Together they had two sons, James. J. (“Jeff”) Schmidt and Michael B. (“Mike”) Schmidt. Ella retired from dance, at the age of 54 after 38 years as a professional ballet, tap and jazz teacher and as the owner of the “Ella Ilse Studio of Dance”. Ella began dance at the age of 7 as a student of Margaret Grant. She began teaching dance around the age of 16, conducting dance lessons for children, at ten cents a week, in the front room of her mother’s house in Corpus Christi. She later conducted classes at the Carpenter’s Hall on Morgan Street. In 1946, Ella and Jimmy bought a church building on Brownlee and relocated the Ella Ilse Studio of Dance into it, from which it bloomed and grew. Around 1962, the dance studio was moved to 514 Sharon, off Alameda, where it remained until 1970. In 1970, Ella sold her studio to a former student and it was once again moved, this time relocating to Everhart Street, where it remains today, as the Munro Ballet School.
Over her many years, Ella, in addition to teaching dance, was an active member of the Dance Masters of America and the Texas Association of Teachers of Dance. Her talent for choreography was reflected in her annual student recitals sponsored by the Civitains, held at Del Mar Auditorium. During early years, her favorite aunt, Ollie Ilse made many of the costumes used in these performances. Later, her beloved sister, Norma Anderson joined her in running the Studio. Her talent for choreography was also reflected in other presentations at the Lyric Theater, the Little Theater and Theater in the Round. In 1963, she joined with others, in founding the Corpus Christi Civic Ballet and choreographed its debut performance of the “Nutcracker” with the Corpus Christi Symphony under the directorship of famed conductor, Maurice Peress. Many of her ex-students have enjoyed successful professional carriers in dance. Her torch for dance was passed to her granddaughter, Holly Schmidt. Ella was one of the early professional female entrepreneurs in Corpus, who never bothered with glass ceilings. In her retirement years she devoted her life to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockport, Texas and its ministries.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy, her grandson Zak, her sisters Norma Anderson, Florence Ilse, and her brothers Arthur Ilse and Charlie Ilse.
Visitation will be held followed by a rosary to be recited at Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Home, 1222 Morgan at 10th. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Thomas More Catholic Church, 2045 18th Street (across from Del Mar College), Corpus Christi, TX.
Interment will follow at Seaside Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be her five grandchildren and Phil Anderson.
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