Roll Call Tribute
Louis "Lou" Gohmert '47 April 7, 2021 2:09 PM updated: April 7, 2021 2:19 PM
Louis Buller Gohmert
January 17, 1926 - March 25, 2021
Louis Buller Gohmert was born in Cameron, Texas on January 17, 1926 to parents Louis F. Gohmert and Carrie Buller Gohmert. He grew up in Cameron and graduated from Cameron Yoe High School. He attended Texas A&M University and was a member of the Corps of Cadets, played on the Texas A&M Baseball team, and majored in Architecture. While squaring to bunt during a baseball game, an inside pitch broke his finger. With his finger in a cast, Louis was summoned by the Dean of the Architecture Department where he was offered a choice: he could play baseball or he could pursue architecture, but he could NOT do both. Seeing a brighter future for himself in Architecture, he wisely chose to spend his career designing buildings that came to life as he dreamed them.
As Louis was finishing his degree at Texas A&M, he met a young schoolteacher who had recently graduated from Baylor. He was quickly smitten and married Sue Brooks on August 21, 1948 at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.
The newlyweds moved to Midland, and then to San Angelo where Louis began his apprenticeship by opening an office for Hank Avery Architects. A year later they moved to Corpus Christi where he finished his second year of apprenticeship working for Richard Colley. Louis and Sue returned to Dallas where he finished his apprenticeship by working for Christenson and Christenson Architects.
During his last year of apprenticeship while visiting Sue’s Aunt and Uncle, Polly and Arnold Anderson in Mt Pleasant, they saw a community where they could rear a family and Louis could build his dreams in a community that he said was “full of life and potential.” They moved to Mt Pleasant in 1951 when Louis opened his own firm, Louis B. Gohmert Architect and Planner. That same year they had their first child, Susan and two years later their son Louie, followed three years later by son David, and in 1961 their son Bill.
Louis and his family were very active members of the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant where he was a member at his death. Through the years, Louis served the community through many avenues such as the Rotary Club, Industrial Board, and Titus County School Board, just to name a few. He was also part of a group of men who started a new baseball league for younger players.
In the early days of his practice, Architects in Northeast Texas had to travel to Dallas or Houston to participate in American Institute of Architects activities. For that reason, he and several others chartered the Northeast Texas Chapter of the AIA and he remained a member long after his retirement.
During his nearly fifty years of Architectural practice, he completed over 300 projects which included schools, churches, banks, office buildings and houses, with notable clients such as Pilgrim Industries, Hinton Oil Company, and a variety of state and federal agencies. In the late 1960s, he was selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to design a community friendly low-rent housing project in Mt Pleasant. It was recognized nationally for its outstanding design and later replicated in other parts of East Texas and beyond.
His Architectural influences were represented in his designs, with his favorites being Frank Lloyd Wright and Oscar Niemeyer. His contemporary Architectural style is often recognized throughout East Texas, with locals often asking him if he had designed a certain building because of its unique and contemporary form. He always wanted to let natural light into his building spaces, noting that “the Lord’s light is always best.”
After the passing of his wife, Sue, Louis married Marjorie (Margie) Rheman in 1991 with whom he shared the last 29 years of his life. Along with Margie’s love and devotion, she was constantly cooking new, creative and delicious foods to meet Louis’ numerous dietary restrictions and preferences in his later years. He always looked forward to seeing what new and delicious delicacies she would cook to surprise him. Louis and Margie enjoyed an active life of traveling and faithfully serving and worshiping in the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant where they were worshiping as usual on the Sunday before his sudden passing.
While attending a European conference years ago, Senator Bill Ratliff of Mt Pleasant met a man who gave him a card that he brought back to Louis because the man’s last name was also Gohmert. This event launched Louis on a journey of many years, searching his family genealogy and compiling it into a book that he then gave to all of his family members.
Louis was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Carrie Gohmert, his first wife, Sue, his son, David '78 and his sisters Dorothy Garner and Rebecca Chandler Brown as well as his nephew David Chandler.
He is survived by his wife Marjorie, his daughter Susan Josephs and husband Al, son Louie '75 and his wife Kathy, son Bill '84 and wife Andrea; grandchildren Joshua Josephs, Whitney Josephs Trevino and husband Abraham, Kathryn Gohmert, Caroline Gohmert Moore and husband Kyle, Sarah Gohmert, Elizabeth Gohmert '18, Daniel Gohmert, and great grandson Eli David Trevino. He is also survived by stepdaughters Janis Arnold and husband Steve, Ginger Wheless, Vicky Emerson and husband Allen, Nina Walker and husband Lanny, and stepson Thomas Rheman. He is also survived by step-grandchildren Mary Kay Hunt and husband Thomas, Chris Hillhouse, Will Arnold and wife Alex, Faith Brons and husband Charlie, Joy Rheman, Michelle Rheman, and step-great-grandchildren Matthew Hunt, Elizabeth Hunt, Oryn Arnold, Zoe Rheman, Kaila Brons, and Skylar Brons.
The Funeral Service will be held on Friday, April 2nd, at 2:00pm at the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, with Visitation preceding the service at 1:00pm.
Memorial Donations may be made to the First Baptist Church Mount Pleasant Building Fund.
Online registry is available at batescoopersloanfuneralhome.com
© Copyright 2011 - 21 Bates Cooper Sloan Funeral Home, L.L. P.. All Rights Reserved.
January 17, 1926 - March 25, 2021
Louis Buller Gohmert was born in Cameron, Texas on January 17, 1926 to parents Louis F. Gohmert and Carrie Buller Gohmert. He grew up in Cameron and graduated from Cameron Yoe High School. He attended Texas A&M University and was a member of the Corps of Cadets, played on the Texas A&M Baseball team, and majored in Architecture. While squaring to bunt during a baseball game, an inside pitch broke his finger. With his finger in a cast, Louis was summoned by the Dean of the Architecture Department where he was offered a choice: he could play baseball or he could pursue architecture, but he could NOT do both. Seeing a brighter future for himself in Architecture, he wisely chose to spend his career designing buildings that came to life as he dreamed them.
As Louis was finishing his degree at Texas A&M, he met a young schoolteacher who had recently graduated from Baylor. He was quickly smitten and married Sue Brooks on August 21, 1948 at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.
The newlyweds moved to Midland, and then to San Angelo where Louis began his apprenticeship by opening an office for Hank Avery Architects. A year later they moved to Corpus Christi where he finished his second year of apprenticeship working for Richard Colley. Louis and Sue returned to Dallas where he finished his apprenticeship by working for Christenson and Christenson Architects.
During his last year of apprenticeship while visiting Sue’s Aunt and Uncle, Polly and Arnold Anderson in Mt Pleasant, they saw a community where they could rear a family and Louis could build his dreams in a community that he said was “full of life and potential.” They moved to Mt Pleasant in 1951 when Louis opened his own firm, Louis B. Gohmert Architect and Planner. That same year they had their first child, Susan and two years later their son Louie, followed three years later by son David, and in 1961 their son Bill.
Louis and his family were very active members of the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant where he was a member at his death. Through the years, Louis served the community through many avenues such as the Rotary Club, Industrial Board, and Titus County School Board, just to name a few. He was also part of a group of men who started a new baseball league for younger players.
In the early days of his practice, Architects in Northeast Texas had to travel to Dallas or Houston to participate in American Institute of Architects activities. For that reason, he and several others chartered the Northeast Texas Chapter of the AIA and he remained a member long after his retirement.
During his nearly fifty years of Architectural practice, he completed over 300 projects which included schools, churches, banks, office buildings and houses, with notable clients such as Pilgrim Industries, Hinton Oil Company, and a variety of state and federal agencies. In the late 1960s, he was selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to design a community friendly low-rent housing project in Mt Pleasant. It was recognized nationally for its outstanding design and later replicated in other parts of East Texas and beyond.
His Architectural influences were represented in his designs, with his favorites being Frank Lloyd Wright and Oscar Niemeyer. His contemporary Architectural style is often recognized throughout East Texas, with locals often asking him if he had designed a certain building because of its unique and contemporary form. He always wanted to let natural light into his building spaces, noting that “the Lord’s light is always best.”
After the passing of his wife, Sue, Louis married Marjorie (Margie) Rheman in 1991 with whom he shared the last 29 years of his life. Along with Margie’s love and devotion, she was constantly cooking new, creative and delicious foods to meet Louis’ numerous dietary restrictions and preferences in his later years. He always looked forward to seeing what new and delicious delicacies she would cook to surprise him. Louis and Margie enjoyed an active life of traveling and faithfully serving and worshiping in the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant where they were worshiping as usual on the Sunday before his sudden passing.
While attending a European conference years ago, Senator Bill Ratliff of Mt Pleasant met a man who gave him a card that he brought back to Louis because the man’s last name was also Gohmert. This event launched Louis on a journey of many years, searching his family genealogy and compiling it into a book that he then gave to all of his family members.
Louis was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Carrie Gohmert, his first wife, Sue, his son, David '78 and his sisters Dorothy Garner and Rebecca Chandler Brown as well as his nephew David Chandler.
He is survived by his wife Marjorie, his daughter Susan Josephs and husband Al, son Louie '75 and his wife Kathy, son Bill '84 and wife Andrea; grandchildren Joshua Josephs, Whitney Josephs Trevino and husband Abraham, Kathryn Gohmert, Caroline Gohmert Moore and husband Kyle, Sarah Gohmert, Elizabeth Gohmert '18, Daniel Gohmert, and great grandson Eli David Trevino. He is also survived by stepdaughters Janis Arnold and husband Steve, Ginger Wheless, Vicky Emerson and husband Allen, Nina Walker and husband Lanny, and stepson Thomas Rheman. He is also survived by step-grandchildren Mary Kay Hunt and husband Thomas, Chris Hillhouse, Will Arnold and wife Alex, Faith Brons and husband Charlie, Joy Rheman, Michelle Rheman, and step-great-grandchildren Matthew Hunt, Elizabeth Hunt, Oryn Arnold, Zoe Rheman, Kaila Brons, and Skylar Brons.
The Funeral Service will be held on Friday, April 2nd, at 2:00pm at the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, with Visitation preceding the service at 1:00pm.
Memorial Donations may be made to the First Baptist Church Mount Pleasant Building Fund.
Online registry is available at batescoopersloanfuneralhome.com
© Copyright 2011 - 21 Bates Cooper Sloan Funeral Home, L.L. P.. All Rights Reserved.
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