Laura McMillan Brice

Laura Amelia McMillan Brice passed away peacefully on September 3, 2020 in her daughter’s home in Austin, Texas. With her final words the night prior, she spoke audibly with angels with her husband, daughter and son by her side, assuring all that she was ready to receive the Lord’s gift of ultimate healing.

Laura was born in July 1946 in Mobile, Alabama to Lorena Ivey McMillan and James David McMillan. In her youth she loved her horse Candy and later spent summers riding in North Carolina with her lifelong best friend Mary Jane Rojas. Laura was crowned Homecoming Queen at Monroe County High and was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority at Auburn University.

On a blind date at Auburn, she met her future husband Steve, with whom she would share the next 52 years. She loved music and dancing while graciously tolerating his two left feet. Laura sang in the St. Thomas choir and nurtured every animal she encountered, adopting dogs, cats and even nursing a nest of rabbits and a baby squirrel. She paired her love of books and children working for many years as a librarian at Brookstone School in Columbus, Georgia. Laura enjoyed family genealogy and was accepted into The Daughters of the American Revolution. She restored the century old farmhouse of her favorite aunt, Caroline Lawson Ivey, and she saw to the republishing of her aunt’s novel while reviving Lawson Farms in Smiths Station, Alabama. As a mom she loved unconditionally and was that sweet mom to whom her children and all of their friends would turn, whether simply for food or encouragement or to escape class hiding in the library. As a grandmother she insured that books filled the kids’ lives and that no holiday would be complete without her needlepointed pillows and pecan pie. She kept a quote on her windowsill from Albert Schweitzer that read, “The only thing of importance, when we depart, will be the traces of love we have left behind.” Laura left more than traces of love, she left imprints of her love on those she met throughout her entire life.

She will be adoringly remembered by her husband Steve Brice, her son Lawson Brice (Gretchen), her daughter Caroline DuPuy (Paul), her six grandchildren, Turner, Tait, Ivey and Hooper Brice, and Gus and Sissie DuPuy, all of Austin, Texas; and her sisters Marty Mehta (Dileep) of Atlanta, Georgia and Carol Holder (Donnie) of Montgomery, Alabama.

The family would like to extend special thanks for the devotion of Southern Hospitality Home and Matilda.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Historic Columbus Foundation and to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A memorial service for immediate family will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin, Texas on Monday, September 7, 2020. Online streaming will be available for extended family and friends via https://www.facebook.com/WCFFunerals