Earlene Mae Botard, 86, of Sheridan, passed away April 17, 2019. She was born on May 2, 1932 in Garwood, TX, the oldest of 4 daughters, to Eugene & Pearlie Oppermann Kotrla.

Earlene attended school in Garwood, then in Rock Island where she played high school volleyball, was named 4-H Gold Star Girl 2 years in a row, and was Homecoming Queen her senior year. She graduated from Rock Island High School in 1949. Later that year, after meeting the love of her life, she and Albert Botard, of Sheridan, were married on August 14, 1949 at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Columbus. They were blessed with almost 52 year of marriage, until Albert's death in 2001.

Earlene owned and operated the Sheridan Dairy Delite, then worked for the Rice Consolidated School District in food service at Rice High School, and as cafeteria manager at the Sheridan School where she retired after 20 years.

Earlene was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church of Sublime, Sheridan Lions Club, Sheridan Go-Getters, Friends of the Library; former member of Sheridan PTS, Emergency Aid and past President of the Cheetham Cemetery Association. She was also one of the original volunteers during the opening of Splashway Family Waterpark.

One of Earlene's greatest pleasures was cooking and baking for her family, and for community events. She was well known for her German Chocolate Cakes. Throughout their married life, she enjoyed deer hunting with Albert and her children. She was a skilled 42 player and also loved playing bingo.

Earlene and Albert made wonderful memories traveling with their RV buddies across the country, and to places as far away as Canada and Alaska. But the most fun times of her life were trips with her sisters to Las Vegas and Coushatta.

Earlene is survived by: daughters, Aileen Peck & husband Monte, and Carol Drozd & husband Glenn; son Warren Botard & wife Kathy; 6 grandchildren, Monte Peck & wife Erin, Marshall Peck & Alison Kubena, Lauren Blinn & husband Justin, Garrett Drozd & wife Lauren, Stephanie Joseph & husband Brett, and Brent Botard; 3 great grandchildren, Daphne, Vivian and Thaddeus Peck; sister Billie Jean "Nippie" Mayes & husband Billy; her loving nieces & nephews; and many cherished friends.

Earlene was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband Albert Warren Botard; and 2 sisters, Audrey "Bootsie" Kanak and Doris "Rabbit" Stock.

Funeral Service: 10 am, Wednesday, April 24, 2019, at Sublime Zion Lutheran Church. Visitation: 5 pm, Tuesday at Kubena Funeral Home. Pallbearers: Jack Vawter, Jeff Andrejozak, Franklin Walker, James "Bo" Vavrusa, Bennie Machac, and George Bayliss. Officiant: Pastor Herb Beyer. Memorials: Sheridan Lions Club, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sublime or Donor's Choice. Burial: Cheetham Cemetery, Sheridan, TX.