Betty Jo Lipscombe

BETTY JO HOWARD LIPSCOMBE passed peacefully in her sleep to our Lord on March 17, 2022. She was born February 17, 1926, to Mary (Eby) Howard and Rowan Fuller Howard in Austin, Texas. She was the granddaughter of Dr. Fredrick Eby and Elizabeth (Newman) Eby of Austin, Texas and Joseph Triplet Howard and Mary Louise (Fuller) Howard of Mt. Vernon, Illinois. She attended primary and secondary schools in Austin as well as Mary Hardin Baylor, and the University of Texas. While at The University she enjoyed working with photographic coloring, fashion design, and pottery making (loved her beer stein) as well as the usual academic classes.

She married Army Air Corp Lt. Jack W. Lipscombe on July 26, 1946 and traveled with him to his home city of Seattle, Washington. She worked in the personnel department of Boeing until they began their family. They returned to the West Texas area (Odessa, Andrews, Snyder; Jal and Hobbs, New Mexico, and Big Spring, Texas) where they completed their family; Jo was very active in the Episcopal churches where they lived (teaching Sunday School, serving as non-voting Women of the church representative to the vestry, and serving on the Board of Canterbury House in Big Spring), activities in various women’s organizations, serving on the Girl Scout Council Board and DAR, Colonial Dames, the Huguenot Society and The Austin Woman’s Club where she and son John enjoyed many dinners. She shared a family passion for researching her Mennonite ancestors. She was very active in the Big Spring Hospital Auxiliary Association as well as serving on the statewide board. She participated in the local hospital hospice support group reporting back on her research in Montreal. Her interest in discussing politics was naturally tied to her father’s service on committees in Congress and her great-grandfather Benoni Fuller’s service as a US congressman from Indiana.

Growing up, Easter weekends for the Lipscombe family were spent in their “second home” in Austin at Grandma and Grandpa Howard’s home hunting Easter eggs, attending church, enjoying lamb & mint sauce, and visiting with the great-grandparents. Jo loved discussing philosophy with Grandpa Eby who called her “beloved mother” and enjoyed going over ancestor photos with Grandma Eby.

Jo and Jack retired to Lake Buchanan where they loved sharing the wild flowers and wildlife on their lakeside homestead with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. While living at Lake Buchanan, Jo participated in the Episcopal Cursillo (#253) and Cursillo Reunion groups with Bill and Marianne, and later participated in the King’s Daughters in Burnet.

Her children remember creative activities with Jo growing up: making Christmas beeswax candles, creating broken glass table stained glass windows, making Christmas ornaments, furnishing dolls’ house with household items like a record player from a powder box; bagging the boys’ mistletoe gatherings for sales to neighbors; supplying plenty of craft paper and crayons; making a nativity from play dough; cookie making was always fun; she would often put a note and doodle in elementary school lunch bags. She made some needle point pieces for family members.

She volunteered as a scout leader, dance club parent, costume maker, bible school teacher, and always was the transportation provider for her kids to their activities. She made amazing birthday cakes: a four-car train cake, an angel food cake dressed with a doll in the center, and treasure map cakes, to name a few.

She read to her kids - one of her favorite books being Custard the Dragon. She bought a variety of books for them to enjoy - money spent on books was not real money! She supported musical interests with piano lessons, band participation, and wonderful musical records. She encouraged her Elizabeth’s and John’s drama adventures and speech activities. She went early to sales to pick up nice sweater & skirt outfits for the daughters and guys clothing for the boys. (using her fashion studies from The University - “Hook ‘em Horns”) As the kids grew up, she encouraged art classes and other enrichment activities. She supported all her children in their chosen careers of law, medicine, and the Coast Guard. She counseled them in finance and the stock market.

One of her most valuable life lessons was that God made people in different colors and shapes - just like he made flowers of different colors and shapes - all is Good. And she so loved her natural wild flowers!

Her grandchildren and great grandchildren remember her family stories; spaghetti & meat sauce; her kitty cat Angel; her chocolate Santas at Christmas; chocolate icing cans in stockings, “grown up” outings, her love of Unicorns, butterflies, hummingbirds, angels, and hearts, her southern drawl over the phone, her flappy hat and dark glasses; picnics on her living room floor; the contagious twinkle in her eye when she smiled. She encourage their interests in art with various classes and camps, Sea World Camp, big machine rentals, travel, Super Camp, and Texas A&M’s marine program in Galveston.

All but two of the Marshall childhood Christmases were spent with Jo and Jack in Texas, sharing good food, the Christmas tree, gifts, and a church service which later became family services with carols and readings in the living room. Grandchildren remember Grandma sharing their secret early morning explorations of the Christmas presents. Summer adventures at Fall Creek Winery included tastings and stomping grapes. They explored a native American archeology site, the Nimitz Museum, and various art galleries. The great-grandchildren remember sharing either before or after Christmas celebrations with their “GG”. They each loved her stuffed animal gifts. One young granddaughter when told of GG’s passing, said “That’s so sad”, then after a couple of minutes of reflection, “I can remember her when I hug my white kitty.”

For a number of the last years the Texas family shared Jo’s birthday at Green Pastures in Austin and later at Bella Sera in Marble Falls with her Texas cousins. On her 91st birthday she asked for these words on her cake:

“Jo’s Wish on 91st Birthday - Love, Hope, Joy for All”.

Those are words she would want us to have in our hearts as we remember her.

Betty Jo firmly believed that each one of us can light a candle in the world to help dispel darkness and to share God’s love. In recent years, Jo became a Daughter of the King, subscribing to it’s motto: “I am but one but I am one, I cannot do everything but I can do something. What I can do I ought to do. What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do. Lord what will you have me do”.

Some of her favorite songs include Amazing Grace, This Little Light of Mine, Silent Night and Ave Maria. She sang the Cursillo Songs with joy and her joy was present in her group’s drama presentation.

Jo was predeceased by her husband Jack, son William Charles Lipscombe, her parents and grandparents. Surviving her are 3 children: Marianne Marshall, Esq. (Steve, Esq.); Elizabeth Jane Ritchie, M.D.; Judge John Howard Lipscombe (Judge Jan); 8 grandchildren: Cynthia Wilems (Craig); George Marshall (Gayle); Mary Carleton (Sam); Kathryn Baxter (Ryan); Sarah Ritchie; Kristy VanderVeer; William C. Lipscombe, Jonathan Lipscombe; and 14 great-grandchildren who at her request called her GG: Anabella Marie, Grace & Emmaline Wilems; Nolan, Alaina Jo & Susanna Marshall; Adele Marie & Louise Carleton; Hawkeye Baxter; Rebecca & Rachel Ritchie; Courtney, Abby, & Gabriel VanderVeer. She was fortunate to have several close cousins and friends with whom she shared her life including Jodi Eby (David), Ann Eby, Leila Eby McKay, Robert McKay, Chris McKay (Beth, Owen & Lilly), Bess Grevelle, Fred Bibus, Glenna Bell Orman and Virginia (Julian).

A Celebration of Life will be held at Austin Memorial Park, Father Michael R. Long of The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany officiating. Please leave memories and thoughts with Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home in Austin, Texas. Remembrance donations may be made to the charity of your choice, remembering The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Burnet, Texas and the many organizations who are carrying God’s light to the people of Ukraine.