Jeanette Ann Sievers Laza, age 74, of Victoria, Texas, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer. Though cancer became part of her journey, it never defined her. Jeanette lived each day with determination, grace, and an unwavering positive spirit that inspired everyone fortunate enough to know her.
Born on March 20, 1952, in Cuero, Texas, to Weldon and Delores Sievers, Jeanette was a proud South Texas woman whose warmth, kindness, and vibrant personality touched countless lives. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale Laza; her parents, Weldon and Delores Sievers; her brother, Wayne Sievers; and her son-in-law, Patrick Manzi.
She is survived by her significant other, Delbert Cox; her daughters, Amber (Wade) Watkins and Katherine Manzi; her cherished granddaughter, Lauren (Kade) Schuenemann; her brother, Donald (Vera) Sievers; and her honorary sister and lifelong friend, Virgie Toller. She also leaves behind numerous extended family members, dear friends, former clients, and community members who will forever treasure her memory.
Jeanette devoted more than fifty years of her life to the profession she loved as a hairstylist. Her career began at the JCPenney Salon before she later opened her own salon, A Sassy Look, and eventually continued her work at Style Studio until retirement. While she possessed exceptional talent behind the chair, her true gift was making people feel valued, heard, and cared for. Many clients became lifelong friends.
Her compassion extended far beyond the salon. Jeanette had a special place in her heart for the elderly and spent time serving residents at Vitality Assisted Living and Twin Pines Nursing Home, helping them look and feel their best. Whether she was styling hair, offering a listening ear, or sharing a smile, she made people feel important.
Jeanette believed deeply in staying involved in her community. She was proud to complete the Civilian Police Academy, participated in Community Bible Study, and enjoyed fellowship through the Sweet Home Dance Club. She never met a stranger and had a remarkable ability to make everyone she encountered feel like an old friend.
To know Jeanette was to know joy. She had a passion for dancing and looked forward to spending Sunday afternoons on the dance floor. She loved estate sales, shopping adventures, flower gardening, travel, cruises, and attending hair shows. She possessed a unique talent for finding treasures where others saw clutter, often proving that someone else’s discarded item could become something beautiful and meaningful.
Above all else, Jeanette treasured her family. Some of the happiest moments of her life were spent gathered together visiting with those she loved. She delighted in baking her famous Christmas ham, taking her daughters and granddaughter shopping for their birthdays, setting the holiday table with her treasured fine china, and insisting on bringing a dish to every gathering. Her home, like her heart, was always open.
Jeanette will be remembered for her radiant smile, generous spirit, empathy for others, and wonderful sense of humor. She was kind, outgoing, fiercely loyal, and determined when she believed in something. Even during her illness, she refused to let life’s challenges slow her down. She faced adversity with courage and optimism, continuing to live fully and love deeply until the very end.
Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched through her kindness, friendship, generosity, and unwavering love. While her family mourns her absence, they find comfort in knowing that her spirit will remain present in every family gathering, every blooming flower bed, every Sunday dance, and every act of kindness shared in her memory.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to all who provided care, support, prayers, and friendship throughout Jeanette’s journey.
Visitation will be held Monday, June 22, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Funeral Home in Victoria, Texas, followed by a funeral service at 12:00 p.m. A reception will immediately follow the service. Interment will take place at 3:30 p.m. at Westside Cemetery in Yorktown, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society and The Harbor Foundation P.O. Box 21463, Beaumont, TX 77720-1463.
Though we will miss her deeply, we celebrate a life beautifully lived—a life filled with love, laughter, faith, family, friendship, generosity, and dancing.
Gobble Gobble! We can’t wait to see all you fine folks there. Let’s celebrate community, music, and the spirit of Cuero. Bring your friends, your family, and your best turkey dance moves!
