Barbara Ann Daigle Lightsey of New Braunfels joined her Lord in Heaven on December 5, 2022. Barbara was born to Juanita Williams Daigle and William Joseph Daigle at Seton Hospital in Austin on August 3, 1938. In 1945 the family moved to Galena Park, a suburb of Houston where she was reared. She attended the University of Texas and earned a B.A. Degree in English. While attending the University she met a blue-eyed Louis Hunt Lightsey at a church student retreat. They were wed on June 3, 1961, and moved to Corpus Christi for two years, returning to Austin, the city Barbara loved in 1963.
Upon her graduation from the University, Barbara taught high school English for four years at Pflugerville High School. She left teaching to start a family and worked part time as a church secretary at University Baptist Church. In 1973, she began a career with the University of Texas in administration positions, which included managing Bauer House, the Chancellor’s Residence; this was a position she took and performed with pride. She retired from the University of Texas System in 1999.
Barbara’s faith and belief stood as pillars of her life. Participation in church life was vital to her. As a student at the University, she was active in the student ministry at University Baptist Church. During her four years as a student, progress was made in integrating campus-area restaurants and theaters, a mission in which Barbara believed and participated. She and Louis were members of UBC until 1976, when they joined Highland Park Baptist Church. She served on many committees through the years, and she was ordained a deacon in 2002. The church community and faith sustained Barbara and Louis through the happiest and hardest of times.
Family was of utmost importance to Barbara. When her sons were in the public schools, she was active in all aspects of their lives including serving in PTA positions, West Austin Youth Association, band boosters, and scouting at Troop 410. The Lightsey home was a gathering place for her sons’ friends. Barbara’s greatest joy was in cooking for family and friends; her garlic grits (secret recipe) was legendary among all the boys that visited the house during the many holiday meals. She was a member of the Assistance League of Austin, was a Life member of the Texas Ex-Students Association, and was a charter staff member of The University of Texas Club. In 2014 Barbara and Louis moved to the Brookdale at Westlake. At Brookdale, she made many friends while enjoying jigsaw puzzles, singing in the choir, and giving cooking programs. Due to Louis’s health situation, she and Louis moved to New Braunfels in 2017 in order to be closer to family.
Barbara was predeceased by her husband, Louis, in 2019. She is survived by her two sons, Jeff and wife Molly of New Braunfels and Jason and wife Kelli of Cypress. She was “Nana” to her seven grandchildren: Hunter, Clark, Marlee, Reid, Caroline, Ben, and Emma. Barbara was an “only” child but was the beloved niece of her mother’s two sisters, Alma and Louise, both of whom she cared for in their last years. She was part of a very large Cajun family on the Daigle side, of which she is survived by seventeen first cousins.
Services for Barbara Ann Daigle Lightsey will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at Highland Park Baptist Church, 5206 Balcones Drive in Austin, Texas. The family requests than any memorials be given to Highland Park Baptist Church, the Assistance League of Austin, or Drive A Senior-West Austin.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.9.5