Lucile Gracy Harmon

Lucile was born on December 24, 1927, in Austin, Texas to David Caldwell Gracy (who owned and operated Gracy Title Company) and Alice Tillar Duggan Gracy. She was a great, great niece of Major George Washington Littlefield, rancher, banker, Austin civic leader, Regent and benefactor to the University of Texas.

She grew up riding horses on her uncle’s farm in North Austin, now known as Gracy Woods. While attending Austin High School, she competed English saddle on three gated show horses. After High School graduation in 1945, she went on to Christian College in Columbus, MS where she graduated with an A.A in Horsemanship Education in 1947. For the next two years, she taught horsemanship at Cheley Camps for Boys and Girls during the summers and Stephens College during the school year.

She married John LaFayette “Bill” Harmon on December 23, 1949. They had three boys, John, David and Christopher. Bill and Lucile raised their family in Abilene, Texas. During that time, she was very active in the church, first at The Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest where she established a bookshop, then as a founding member of St. Marks Episcopal Church. She was a delegate to the Episcopal Diocesan Convention and spent several summers working for the San Juan Mission in Farmington, NM. This work led to her lifelong appreciation of Native American culture. She has continually championed various educational and help organizations and is a charter member of the National Museum of the American Indian. In 1972, Lucile moved to Evanston, Illinois where she attended National College of Education. She graduated with a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1972. After graduation, she taught for 5 years in Park Ridge CCSD.

Lucile moved back to Austin in 1977 and started teaching kindergarten in Round Rock ISD; first at Voigt Elementary for 6 years and then Wells Branch Elementary for the next 11 years. While still teaching full time, she attended Southwest Texas State University where she graduated with a M.E. in Elementary Education in 1985. She continued learning by traveling to Australia and New Zealand where she learned new techniques to teach reading. She brought that knowledge back to Wells Branch and in 1996, a reading room at Wells Branch was dedicated in her name.

She was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and The National Society of the Colonial Dames. She chaired the Education committee of the Neill-Cochran House Museum for 18 years, during which time she created two editions of the Teacher’s Curriculum Guide. The curriculum met the Texas State Educational guidelines and was used by Austin ISD for several years. Her work was recognized by the National organization in 2005.

She is preceded in death by her sister, Ruth Gracy Wise, brother, David Bergen Gracy II and sons John Caldwell Harmon and David Lee Harmon.

She is survived by her son, Christopher LaFayette Harmon and wife Nancy of Arlington, TX, daughter-in-law, Patricia Martinak of Riverwoods, Il; grandchildren, Kyle Caldwell Harmon (Jenny), Lucy Austin Harmon, Bram Lee Harmon (Monica), Jonathan Michael Harmon (Jonica) and Gracy Elisabeth Harmon Eubank (Jeb); great-grandchildren, Carolina Conroy Baron Harmon, John Jesus Caldwell Harmon, Andrew Vormittag, Kassandra Vormittag, Mason Elizabeth Harmon, Maxwell Joseph Harmon, Miles Ray Harmon; sister-in-law Laura Lee Baade Gracy; dear cousin Helen Mary Gracy Smith and a wealth of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service: 10:00 am., Saturday, May 25, 2024, Grace Chapel at St. David's Episcopal Church, 301 E. 8th St., Austin, Texas 78701.

Inurnment to follow after memorial service at Oakwood Cemetery, 1601 Navasota St., Austin, Texas 78702.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Neill-Cochran House Museum or a charity of your choice.