Jane Reese Rich Scruggs

Born and raised in a small rural community in the Mississippi Delta, Jane attended one year of college at the University of Tulsa (where she was Band Queen), and then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, where she majored in Business, was President of the Chi Omega sorority, and became a lifelong football fan. She met Jim Scruggs as a sophomore in college in 1943. Growing up, her parents emphasized to her the importance of finishing college, so after her graduation from the University of Texas with a degree in Business, she and Jim married on November 17, 1945. Like many wartime brides, she wore a borrowed wedding dress. Jane and Jim lived in Houston, Texas, Amarillo, Texas and St. Louis, Missouri, while Jim trained as an intern and resident in ophthalmology, and also served his time in the Navy. After all of that was finished and faced with a decision about where they would like to live and raise a family, Jane and Jim determined that the perfect place for them would be a lovely town on the Brazos River called Waco, Texas. They moved to Waco in 1952 and never looked back. They had four daughters (commonly referred to as the Scruggs girls). It was a busy household to say the least, often filled with friends and boyfriends, and Jane ran the household and all of the family activities with good cheer and efficiency. Always an optimist, she loved her family and having a home filled with people, with lots of activity. Christmas time was especially her favorite, and every year she set a large family Christmas table, with multiple generations in attendance. She continued to do this into her early 90s.

Jane had a strong sense of community service. She was a lifelong and active member of Austin Avenue Methodist Church. She was President of the Waco Junior League, served on the Waco Symphony Board and many other boards, and was active with the Waco Library and the Waco Art Center. After all of the girls left for college, she became an avid tennis player, lining the bookshelves with several trophies. Jane and Jim enjoyed traveling the world, including several trips to the Far East, and Jane was an enthusiastic bridge player.

Jane absolutely adored being a grandmother, and in turn, her grandchildren adored her and loved coming to Waco to visit. She cooked their favorite meals, took them swimming and water skiing and to the Waco Zoo, and generally just had fun with them. Jane always kept up with fashion. One day she was transporting two young granddaughters to Waco from Austin and needed to make an immediate bathroom stop for one of them. The closest place was Hooters, a restaurant she was unfamiliar with. When she came out, she commented that all of those pretty waitresses wore Skechers on their feet. So she bought a pair for herself that week.

Jim passed in 2010. He and Jane were married for 65 years. Despite having eleven members of her family residing in Austin at the time, we still could not persuade Jane to leave her friends, her community, her hometown. She finally moved to Austin to be with all of us in 2017, at the age of 92. In Austin, she was a member of Westlake United Methodist Church. Jane continued to play bridge and root enthusiastically for the Longhorns, and visited with someone in her family almost every day of the week. To the end, this great lady remained true to herself -- kind, warm, optimistic, interested in others and gracious.

Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law Jan and Terry Moynahan, Joy and Billie Ellis, Joan Hyde, and Jean and Tracy Warren; grandchildren and their spouses Kate Moynahan Hall and Evan Hall, Austen Hyde, Reese Hyde and Frances Thomas-Hyde, Meredith Warren Cate and Nick Cate, and Margot Warren Hemphill and Coleman Hemphill; great grandchildren Leighton Joyce Hall, Brady Terrence Hall, and Hallie Reese Cate, and Jane’s sister, Hennie Sue Simmen and family.

The family would like to express gratitude to the wonderful and loving staff and community at Belmont Village, West Lake Hills.

Jane was laid to rest next to her beloved husband in a private burial service at Waco Memorial Park. A celebration of Jane's life will be held at Westlake United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas, on Friday, November 22 at 1 pm. The memorial service may also be attended by live stream. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory be made to Westlake United Methodist Church, Austin, Texas, the Waco Symphony or the charity of your choice.