Lilla English Clark Kay

Lilla was born in Clarksville, Texas on November 20, 1909. Her Clark and English ancestors established the first settlements on the Red River with a Spanish land grant. Her forebear Isabella Haddon Hopkins Hanks Clark Gordon owned the land most entrants to North Texas camped upon, including Sam Houston, Anson Jones, and every Texas Governor between. The family donated the old bible to the Texas Archives since it has both Mirebeau B. Lamar’s and Sam Houston’s signatures on its cover.

Her mothers family (Wheelers and McFerrons) were also early settlers of Honey Grove, Texas. Lilla’s father, Simeon English Clark was a historian and published poet whose many note books in longhand are also in the Archives for scholars of Texas History.

Lilla came to Austin and attended Wooldridge Elementary, Allen Jr. High and Austin High (’27). She received her BS in Home Economics (in ’31) from the Old Main U.T. campus, and her Masters (in ’37)) watching the Tower being built.

She taught home-making in Allen Jr. High and Austin High, then in Texas State colleges of Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and West Texas. She then began traveling for the Texas Education Agency driving to each of Texas’ counties teaching the school lunch supervisors to best use their available foods and maintain efficient and healthful lunchrooms for our school children.

She married Roy Ray Kay in December of 1952. Mr. Kay was a Stephenville cattle rancher and prominent Baptist layman. He was at various times President of San Marcos Baptist Academy, principal of San Antonio Brackenridge HS, and owner of a busy radio station in Corpus Christi. He bought beautiful ranch land on the prettiest part of Brushy Creek and raised prime Angus cattle and some Quarter horses. After Mr. Kay’s death in 1975 Lilla sold the cattle but retained the ranch for the enjoyment of his seven grandchildren. She enjoyed hosting the many family gatherings, taking lots of bluebonnet pictures, watching the kids enjoy horseback riding and swimming in Brushy Creek. She has been the glue that keeps the family together no matter where they live. She has painted animals on Easter eggs, dressed up as the Rosedale witch on Halloween, and loved all the holidays. She supports literacy and good music, and belongs to PECU, The Retired Teachers Association, the International Good Neighbor Association and is an over 50-year member of the University United Methodist Church.

Her survivors include Patricia and R.B. Rudy, Pat and Peggy Clark, and Donna Clark Johnson all of Austin, Sandy and David Clark of Houston, and Rachel Clark Howison of Paris, Texas. Mrs. Kay’s grandchildren are Victor, Roy Lee and Richard Kay, Angila Sue Kay Bowden, John Hugghins, Jr., Jody Hugghins McMillan, and Katie Hugghins Reynolds. They and their families will miss Lilla terribly. Her devotion to all things blessed and beautiful was an inspiration to us all.

Visitation will be at Weed-Corley-Fish, Lamar location, on Friday, July 16, 2010 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the same location on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. presided by the Reverend Emeritus George Ricker, U.U.M.C. Interment will follow at Austin Memorial Park on Hancock Dr.

Our deep thanks go to Brighton Gardens (now Emeritus) who gave her such excellent and pleasant care for 4 years. May God bless all her loving care-givers and Heart-to-Heart Hospice Staff.