Funeral services for Eunice Schumpert, 95, of Portales will be held at 10:00 Wed., Mar. 8, 2017 at the First Baptist Church with Dr. David McFadden officiating, assisted by her son, Burnie Schumpert as well as other family members. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Franklin Smith, James Golden, Bailey Thompson-Garcia, Jim Davis, Randy Rankin, Keith Wattenbarger and Mark McDonald, Jr. serving as pallbearers. All former students and professional music teachers of New Mexico will be honorary pallbearers. All are welcome to attend.
Eunice Pearl Schumpert passed away peacefully a few minutes after midnight on Saturday morning. Born of Joseph Hezekiah Boetler and Eunice Ira Lemons in the Lingo community south of Dora, NM on Aug. 5, 1921. The Boetler family moved to Borger TX when Eunice was in the sixth grade. It was in Borger that Eunice and (brother) Monroe applied themselves to their music on piano and voice to sing at social and at church events. Upon the death of her mother Ira, the family moved to Artesia as Eunice began her eighth year of schooling. Her father Joseph then married Euginia Tally.
Eunice often said that music had always been a major part of her life. She graduated from Artesia High School and was visited by Dr. Floyd Golden (former president of ENMU). Dr. Golden had heard about Eunice’s musical talent and made a special visit to see her perform “Danny Boy”. Later Dr. Golden became her scholarship donor at ENMC. She pursued her Voice and Piano double major in the fall of 1938, at ENMC (now ENMU) where she met her future husband Billy Page Schumpert, who was the first class president of ENMC. They were married December 29, 1940.
Eunice was dedicated to teaching the divine language of music to her piano and voice students. In addition she enjoyed being a member in the following organizations: First Baptist Church and served as chair of the music committee (she served as an organist for over 40 years), PEO Sisterhood- Chapter BE- and served as the first president, Beta Sigma Phi, Master Chapter, Music Teacher’s National Association- received her 50 year award in 2007, Member of the professional Music Teacher’s of New Mexico (State secretary 1959 & 1960, Vice President 1965-1968, Certification chairperson for 9 years, honors competition chairperson until 2002, District Vice President until 2005, Awarded Life Membership in 1993, Received Teacher of the year award for New Mexico in 1994, received “Spotlight Teacher” award in 1976, received the National Association of Teachers Singing 50-year award), Honorary member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Member of Portales Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Portales Women’s Club. She was also honored as the Pioneer of the Year of Roosevelt County in 2008.
She is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Burnie and Rhonda Schumpert of Temple, TX and Thomas Schumpert of Portales; grandchildren Billy, Jeffrey, Rachel, Nathan, Kirah and Christa Schumpert; cousin Clifton Perkins of Artesia, and cousin Dr. Mary Ann South of Portales. She was preceded in death by her, mother, Eunice Ira Lemons, stepmother, Euginia Tally, and father Joseph Hezekiah Boetler, her oldest son Warren Wright Schumpert, and by her beloved husband, Billy who died Feb. 19, 1993.
