Karla La Valley

“One and a half pounds at birth and look what I’ve accomplished in life.” Karla LaValley expressed during an interview by the Wilson County News. At the time, the newspaper wrote that “Karla’s specializes in German cuisine using original recipes brought to America from northern Germany.”

Born prematurely in Essen, Germany, in 1929, Karla remembered all too clearly the horrors of World War II. She said that the war didn’t just end with VE day, she explained that the war had repercussions that lasted for years afterward.

“I was 10 years old when the war started. Father worked in the coal mines. In the beginning (of the war with Poland) it wasn’t that bad, but it got worse in 1941 and 42. The bombs were coming down so bad because Essen is where they (Germany) were making their bombs. We had to go to the basements. We had candles and our bags were already packed.” “As soon as we heard sirens, we went in the basement. It was so bad – children were crying; people were praying.”

Karla told how her father would crouch beside the radio late at night, trying to tune in Radio Free Europe stations for unbiased reports on the war. She remembered standing for hours on end in food lines and having little to eat. Ration stamps were inadequate, and conditions were “horrible”, she said.

Shortly before the end of the war, Allied forces bombed Germany relentlessly in an attempt to bring the country to its knees. At the same time, Karla’s 24-year-old sister died soon after losing her husband in the fighting. Karla was then too old to stay in the neighborhood bomb shelters which were reserved for younger children and was forced to flee to the “high bunkers” which were over two miles away from her home.

“When I was 14 or 15, I wasn’t allowed in the near bunkers.” she said. “When the sirens sounded, it was a black-out. We had to run through the streets with no lights. We had to wear reflector patches so we wouldn’t run into each other.”

After the war ended, Karla grimly recounted that things became even worse. “Jobs were hard to find, food less available. We had to trade everything to the farmers in exchange for food. I remember hanging onto the train, going to other farms, to practically beg for food.”

At 19, Karla left Germany “to work in hospitals all over England and Wales.” In 1955, she met her GI husband and came to the United States. Karla, her husband and two children later were stationed at bases in California, Indiana, Hawaii, and at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

A waitressing job led to her management of a restaurant in Indiana while her husband served a tour of duty in Vietnam. “Everything I put my mind to, I did.” Karla said. “I had always wanted a restaurant and they were out of a manager, so…”

Her determination to succeed was still evident when she moved back to San Antonio. Karla opened a bar in 1975 and a restaurant in 1977, both of which she later sold. In 1982 she opened “Karla’s” in Kirby where she kept prices modest while maintaining a country-like atmosphere. Karla’s menu featured a selection of German specialties. “Because I was so little, so skinny, and so spoiled, my mother didn’t teach me how to cook. When I did cook, I just started out without ever having any lessons.”; however, superb reviews and satisfied patrons spoke to the outstanding quality of her self-taught skills.

Karla had lots of love and trust for her step-daughter Olga and her family who helped her and provided loving companionship throughout her retirement years.

In addition to her son, Ronald & daughter, Jennifer, who is no longer with us; Karla’s nieces in Germany and their families kept in contact with her through the years. She enjoyed her trips to Germany and the visits with her family.

Karla was a strong woman with a big heart…she was full of love and she was loved. She will be missed…