Margaret Marie (Janak) Bludau

Margaret (Margie) Marie Janak Bludau, of Hallettsville, peacefully went home to the Lord on May 30, 2026. She was born on August 8, 1936, to Georgia Melnar Janak & Edward (Eddie) Janak in Hallettsville, Texas. She was 89 years old. She was the oldest of two children.

Margaret attended Old Sweet Home School until the 8th grade. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Hallettsville, Texas in 1954, where she was active in sports, cheerleading, pep squad, student government and 4H.

On January 31, 1956, Margaret married her lifelong companion William (Bill) Bludau at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Sweet Home, Texas. Margaret and Bill, who Bill called her affectionally Margie, were blessed with 6 children, 6 great In-laws, 10 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.

Margaret and Bill were always together. They loved dancing, playing dominoes, fishing, and traveling throughout the US, especially gambling in Louisiana. They loved going to their grandchildren’s sports and school functions, watching Texas Aggie Football and annual family vacations at the Frio River and the Beach.

Upon graduation from high school in 1954, Margaret started her 50 plus year career in the medical profession as a Nurse’s Aide at Renger Hospital in Hallettsville, Texas. She graduated from the Renger Hospital Nursing School in July 1955, and received her LVN License later that year. She worked at Renger Hospital until it’s closing in 1975 and transferred to the Lavaca Medical Center (LMC) working as a nurse until November 1984, when she became a Licensed Pharmacy Technician at LMC. She remained in this role at LMC until she retired in 2014. She was an instructor for nursing students at the Renger Hospital from 1968 to 1973. In 1971, she was named “Nurse of the Year” by the Dewitt/Lavaca Component Society.

Margaret loved her dogs, cattle, doing puzzles, playing dominoes, fishing, tending to her flowers and garden, canning, making homemade bread daily, making homemade noodles and strudels, visiting with her nursing friends, and listening to Polka Music, specifically her brother Hubert Janak. She was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and KJZT.

Margaret is survived by: daughters, Jean Schaefer & husband Roy and Marian Elliott & husband David; sons, William J. (Billy) Bludau & wife Jackie, Thomas E. (Slim) Bludau & wife Gayle, Donald R. (Donnie) Bludau & wife Mary Jo and Ronald J. (Ronnie) Bludau & wife Jo Ann; grandchildren, Alex Bludau & wife Mikayla, Meghan Ellis & husband Tyler, Reed Elliott, Sarah Bludau, Hannah Bludau, Luke Bludau, Joshua Bludau, Abigail Bludau, Laney Bludau and Lacey Bludau; and great grandchild Jackson Ellis.

Maragret was preceded in death by; her husband William H. (Bill) Bludau, her parents Edward (Eddie) & Georgia Janak, brother Hubert Janak and sister-in-law Elizabeth (Liz) Jurek Janak.

Funeral Mass Service: 11 am, Friday, June 5, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hallettsville with Visitation starting at 9 am and Rosary starting at 10:30 am. Pallbearers: Alex Bludau, Reed Elliott, Joshua Bludau, Luke Bludau, Garrett Haskin, Tyler Ellis, Everett Bludau and Ronnie Hornischer. Honorary Pallbearers: Meghan Ellis, Mikayla Bludau, Sarah Bludau, Hannah Bludau, Abigail Bludau, Kylie Starnes, Jourdyn Horton, Lacey Bludau, Laney Bludau, Jackson Ellis, Pam Bludau, Janet Hornischer, and Margaret’s Care Givers Janice Calahan, Bobbie Burley, Demetrious McAfee, LaMetra McAfee and Ella Foley. Officiant: Rev. Michael Rother. Memorials: Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hallettsville, Alzheimer’s Association, or Donor’s Choice. Burial: Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.