Lana Beth (Shaklee) Schiltz, age 75, died Wednesday October 30th after a short hospital stay. She was born in Cherokee, Oklahoma on February 9th, 1944 and grew up near Jet at the old Timberlake settlement. Lana graduated from Jet High School. She went on to Oklahoma State University where she earned a Bachelor of Music Education in 1966. Later that year, Lana married Dick Schiltz of Ponca City, OK. Lana and Dick moved to Texas where welcomed two children.
Lana began her teaching career in Austin Texas. After a move to Corpus Christi, she settled in Bay City, Texas for the next 14 years where she was the organist, Director of Youth Choir, and Director of Music for several churches including First United Methodist and First Presbyterian. Following her divorce in 1985, Lana went back to teaching elementary music. She taught for the next 20 years.
She was named Teacher of the Year several times during her career. She retired from teaching while employed at Timberlake Public Schools where she created the music program, having students perform in the Macey’s Thanksgiving Day Parade twice, Fiesta Texas, Six Flags over Texas and Branson to name a few. Lana retired from teaching in 2005. She went on to work as an administrative assistant at Casady Schools for 8 years in the primary division where she retired from education in 2016.
Lana enjoyed teaching private music lessons in voice and piano for several years. She loved attending various musical events and constantly had classical and smooth jazz playing in the house. She passed on her love of music and the arts to her children who were active in choir, band, community service booking bands and more. Lana loved quilting and was proud of her many quilts she made that she gave to her children, nieces, nephews and friends.
She is survived by daughter Gwen (Schiltz) Barrington & her husband Colby of Lindsay Oklahoma; son Eric Schiltz & his wife Katie of Bozeman, Montana; several nieces and nephews. Lana is also survived by numerous friends and the students whose lives she touched and forever changed with her love of music and teaching. Lana is preceded in death by both her parents Don and Lucile Shaklee, her sister Connie LaGrow and brother Jerry Ray Shaklee.
It was Lana’s final wish to be cremated. A celebration of her life will be held in the spring. Approximately March 14th to allow family and friends to travel. Service to be at Jet Methodist Church with burial at Timberlake Cemetery to follow.
We ask that in lieu of flowers please support one of these causes near to Lana’s heart.
VH-1 SAVE THE MUSIC to support music education https://www.savethemusic.org/take-action/ways-to-donate/
Or
AMERICAN PARKINSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION https://www.apdaparkinson.org/
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home