Schepps/Brand Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS 0843

Staff Only

Finding aid note: Forms part of the Houston Jewish History Archive. Stored offsite at the Library Service Center and require 24-hour notice for retrieval. Please contact the Woodson Research Center at 713-348-2586 or woodson@rice.edu for more information.

Scope and Contents

Two boxes containing awards and certificates, event materials, correspondence, photographs, publications, and newsclippings document the lives of the Schepps/Brand family from 1910-1997.

Dates

Creation: 1910 - 1997

Conditions Governing Access

This material is open for research.

Stored offsite at the Library Service Center and require 24-hour notice for retrieval. Please contact the Woodson Research Center at 713-348-2586 or woodson@rice.edu for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from the Schepps/Brand Family papers must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library. The Woodson Research Center use policy is that researchers assume sole responsibility for any infringement of privacy, literary rights, copyrights, or other rights arising from their use of the archival materials. In addition to any restrictions placed by donors, certain kinds of archival materials are restricted for the life of the creator plus 50 years. These materials include, but are not limited to, student grades, transcripts, and any job applications or recommendations.

Biographical / Historical

Manet Davis Schepps was born in Houston, Texas, on February 22, 1917, to Bertha and Abe Davis. She grew up in Houston and attended San Jacinto High School, where she wrote for the newspaper, served as President of the Chi Comrades, which was a forerunner of B'nai B'rith Girls.

Alvin Schepps was born March 3, 1910 in Poland. He immigrated to the United State in 1913 through "The Galveston Plan." Schepps settled in Dallas with his parents, eight brothers, and two sisters. After graduating from Forest Avenue High in 1928, Schepps spent the next 4 years at Texas A&M where he earned a degree in chemical engineering and was commissioned into the army reserves. After graduation, he moved to Houston and formed Schepps Grocery Co.

Manet and Alvin met in 1935 and married the following year at Adath Yeshurun in Houston on June 14, 1936.

Still in the Army Reserves, Schepps was called to active duty in 1942 and spent the next 4 years in the Army. His duties in the army involved concerns with chemical warfare services. He landed in France on June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord on D-Day, and during the Battle of the Bulge he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was awarded the Silver Star.

While Alvin was away, Manet ran the business, and took care of the first two of the couple's children, Sonnie and Dennis. After the war ended, Alvin returned home where they welcomed two more children, Gilda and Nancy.

The Schepps were well known for their community service and many charitable donations which included Texas A&M, and Texas A&M Hillel Foundation. The couple was very involved with their synagogue, Congregation Beth Yeshurun. Mr. Schepps served at President of Congregation Beth Yeshurun in the 1950s and was Chairman of the Building Committee for the congregation’s building on Beechnut. Manet served as President of Beth Yeshurun Sisterhood and received the Martha Lea Stein award for service from the congregation in 1999.

Manet died on March 29, 2008 and Alvin died September 10, 2009. Both are interred at Beth Yeshurun Cemetery in Houston.

Excerpted from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25635708/manet-evelyn-schepps And https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45004895/alvin-issie-schepps

Extent

2 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection is made up of two boxes containing awards and certificates, event materials, correspondence, photographs, publications, and newsclippings from the Schepps/Brand family, spanning from 1910-1997.

Arrangement

The materials in this collection have been arranged in six series as follows: Series I: Awards and Certificates; Series II: Event Materials; Series III: General; Series IV: Photographs; Series V: Publications; Series VI: Oversize