Margarett Etta Svatek was born on December 11, 1945 in Falfurrias Texas to Aubrey Steubing and Edna Martha Knetsch. She passed away on November 23, 2025.

Margarett moved to Seguin to finish her senior year of high school, where she met Tom Svatek at a football game.  They were married about a year later on June 18, 1965. Margarett's love for animals blossomed when she and Tom got their first dog Caesar, a Schnauzer mix, whom they adopted as a puppy. She began rescuing animals out of her home in Seguin in the early 80's. She started a non-profit in 1989, holding fundraisers to build a facility that would serve as a no-kill animal shelter for Guadalupe and surrounding counties. The Humane Society opened its doors in June 1997, and Margarett served as the volunteer director, a true labor of love for over 25 years.

She worked at Southwestern Bell in Seguin for 18 years as an operator. Margarett loved to garden; she had a beautiful yard full of flowers and plants as well as a sparkling pool where she hosted family gatherings and water volleyball games. She liked cooking meals, not only for her husband, Tom, but also for many friends along with the staff and volunteers at the humane society. Margarett also loved taking trips with her extended family to enjoy snow skiing and waterskiing.

Margarett is survived by her husband Tom, siblings, Francis Steubing and wife Kathy, Thomas Steubing and wife Nita, and Julie Chiles, in-laws Charlotte and King Freeland, Donna and Johnny Poteet, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Margarett is preceded in death by her mother Edna Martha Knetsch and father Aubrey Steubing, brother Aubrey Ervin Steubing, sister Pearl Esther Steubing, sister Nancy Gallagher and husband Carl, sister Caroline Cloud, and sister Dalie Magee, brother-in-law, Gary Chiles.

"The degree of people's civilization is reflected in its attitude toward animals." - John Galsworthy

A memorial and dinner gathering will be held on January 17, 2026, at The Silver Center, 510 E. Court Street, Seguin, Texas 78155, from 2 pm to 5 pm with remarks at 3 pm.

In lieu of flowers, we humbly ask that donations be made to Guadalupe County Humane Society, GCHS, P. O. Box 1593, Seguin, Texas, 78155-1593.