Gladys Mae Skaggs

Ms. Gladys Mae Skaggs of Austin, Texas passed away on January 12, 2023, at the age of 103. Gladys was born on August 23, 1919 in Sealy, Texas, the only child of Olmir Ray Skaggs and Hattie Iselt Skaggs. She and her parents spent the next 10 years in Oklahoma, near her paternal grandparents, who always had a special place in her heart. When Gladys’s father got the opportunity to move to Baytown to work for Humble Oil (now known as ExxonMobil), the family moved back to Texas. Gladys remained a resident of Baytown until August 2017, when she left the city as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Thereafter, her permanent residence was Austin, Texas.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin as well as a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Houston. Regarding her choice of specialty, she said, “The reason I picked Psychology is because we were all so crazy about the Psychology professor: he was both cute and unmarried.” She taught English and History in the Baytown Independent School District from 1941 until her retirement in 1978. For years, it only took the mention of any Baytown resident’s name for her to respond, “I taught all three of her children” or “He was an excellent student and I taught his daughter as well.”

She loved to travel – both within and outside the borders of the United States. She could take the hardships and annoyances of travelling and weave them into compelling (and often hilarious) stories. Many of her closest friends were people she had met while travelling.

Gladys was a life-long Methodist, a proud Democrat, an excellent bridge player, a dedicated fan of the Houston Astros and the University of Texas Longhorns, and a gracious and unassuming hostess. She had a summer home in Ingram, Texas, which she shared with a steady stream of guests who laughed, played bridge, and ate delicious home-cooked meals in the Texas Hill Country.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; her ex-husband, Wendell Boyce; her cousins; and many of her good friends (the price of living beyond the age of 100). Although she never gave birth to any children, she is survived by someone she called “her kid” (the daughter of one of Gladys’s long-time friends), Suzanne Moses, and her husband, John Hall, and many other loyal and valued friends.

Gladys’s loved ones owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated staff of Brookdale West Lake Hills as well as the staff of St. David’s Hospice. These people knew Gladys only in her declining years; nonetheless, they took care of her with affection and respect. Thanks, too, to friends (and friends of friends and even total strangers) who kept Gladys in their prayers over the last few years (notably, the congregation of Westlake United Methodist Church). Heartfelt gratitude goes as well to the other residents of Brookdale West Lake Hills, who accepted Gladys warmly into their community after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation forced her to leave her home town at the age of 98.

According to her wishes, Gladys’s ashes will be buried in the family plot in the Sealy Cemetery in Sealy, Texas. Since she herself disliked attending memorial services (and probably “didn’t want to be a bother”), Gladys requested that no memorial service be held for her.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lee College or Sterling Municipal Library (both in Baytown, Texas) or to a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com for the Skaggs family.