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Pearl R. Kalver November 30, 1929 – July 31, 2020 Pearl Duderstadt VanBuren Kalver passed away at home on July 31. 2020. She was an active, vibrant, engaged 90 year old until the tragic accidental death of her daughter, Donna, on May 6. Following that, her health began to rapidly decline. Pearl was born in San Antonio, Texas, on November 30. 1929, to Albert Duderstadt and Thelma Fawcett Duderstadt. She was in the Purple Jackets at Brackenridge High School and graduated from there in 1947. In 1948 she married Douglas VanBuren and they soon had three children, Karla, Donna, and Richard. Pearl's greatest joy was being a Mom and she was a great one. Doug was a home builder and Pearl partnered with him by drawing house plans and designing the exterior and interior of many of the homes he built. She loved designing spaces which may have led to her passion for moving so that she could design something new for her family and herself each time she moved. During her life she lived in eighteen homes- fifteen in San Antonio, one in Center Point, two in Kerrville. Pearl and Doug later divorced and in 1980 Pearl married Hank Kalver. They enjoyed eighteen very happy years together, traveling and enjoying their property in Center Point. They were married until Hank passed away in 1998. When Richard was a toddler, Pearl decided to go to college to get her degree to become a school teacher. While raising three young children, she earned her degree in education and graduated magna cum laude in 1963 from Trinity University. She immediately began teaching 3rd grade at Highland Hills Elementary School. She loved teaching and loved her students. She was a devoted teacher and spent many hours each night creating ways to make learning enjoyable for them. She taught at Highland Hills until she retired in 1983 to take care of her Mother who was terminally ill. Pearl was an active member of St Andrew's Methodist Church. For several years she was a volunteer worker at the Fig Leaf thrift shop of the Agape Ministry. She also delivered meals for Meals on Wheels ministry for many years. She served faithfully for years on the Church Sanctuary committee and, because of her creative skills, for many years she was asked to create the decorations for special occasions, especially for the annual Christmas luncheon. She loved being with friends and for 20 years had friends in her home weekly to play chicken foot or rummikub, along with a tasty dessert. Pearl loved people, watching old movies on TV, reading books about the teachings of the Bible, working in the yard, cooking, and baking. She loved looking at the sky--- watching the clouds change shapes, and enjoying the beautiful colors in sunsets and rainbows. She was a great cook and loved to bake and she prepared several meals and desserts that were considered “specialties” by her family and friends. She loved her home and spent hours almost every day in her back yard. It pleased her greatly to live independently in her own home. Anyone who met Pearl enjoyed the blessing of her sweetness. She became a special friend to everyone she met and many referred to her as "Sweet Pearl". In addition to being sweet, she was strong, resilient, kind, respected, stubborn, generous, creative, determined, impatient, courageous, resourceful, and had a quiet and delightful sense of humor. She loved the Lord and her faith was strong. Her life is not chronicled with great deeds as the world counts them but with the extraordinary way she faced adversities with quiet courage, calm dignity, prayerful determination, and graceful acceptance.... never complaining, always sweet , always grateful. Even in her final and very difficult days, she focused on blessings and found something to laugh about every day. Her kindness lives on in the hearts of the people who knew her. Pearl was predeceased by her husband, Hank Kalver; her parents; her brothers, John and Carl Duderstadt; and daughter, Donna VanBuren Woods. She is survived by and will be deeply missed by her sister, Emalou Marek; daughter, Karla Fulton; son and daughter in law, Richard and Terri VanBuren; son in law Fred Woods; her grandchildren, Eric and Maren VanBuren; Karl and Lerin VanBuren; John, Kevin, and Heather Montgomery; Merideth Wilson, Allison Fulton, Alexis Czyzewski; great-grandchildren, Oline VanBuren, Ashlyn, Cade, and Walker Montgomery, Oliver and Leo Czyzewski, Ben and Claire Wilson; sister in law, Shirley Duderstadt; fourteen nieces and nephews. The family extends their heartfelt thanks to friends and family who sustained them through prayer during this difficult time. And, thank you to Darleen Park and her Beacon Hospice team for their comforting care. Because of covid, the service will be a private family graveside service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St Andrews Methodist Church or to your own favorite charity in memory of Sweet Pearl. Please go online to www.missionparks.com to leave a message to the family.

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Pearl R. Kalver

November 30, 1929 - July 31, 2020