Elizabeth Augusta McGaffey

Elizabeth McGaffey passed away on Monday, November 21, 2016, in Houston, Texas. She was born to August Edward Burk Fretwell and Chispa Ruth Van Benthuysen on September 9, 1924, in Galveston, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband George Bailey McGaffey, her son Mark McGaffey, and her sisters Hazel Ruth Messer and Florine Walker. She is survived by her son Paul McGaffey, daughter-in-law, Seok Lim McGaffey, daughter Suzanne Roach, and her only other daughter-number-two, Kimberly Glazner. She is also survived by her grandchild, Brian McGaffey, and his wife Nicole McGaffey, and also grandchildren David McGaffey and Leslie Roach as well as sister Mary Louise Gaeke, brother-in-law William Gaeke, and sister June Vosberg, along with a number of nieces and nephews, extended family and friends.

Elizabeth was always a hard worker. She was the eldest of five sisters, and from a very young age she pitched in to help her mother care for her siblings. She worked at the Galvez Hotel as a youth and worked as a bike messenger at Brown and Root during World War II.

She married George Bailey McGaffey on August 15, 1945 after he returned home from WWII in July of 1945. They built their own home in Cloverleaf, and moved in on September 12, 1947. Paul was just six months old when they faced the coldest winter they’d ever seen in Texas in many years. Elizabeth loved to travel, camp, fish and spend time with family, and friends. She and her family have lived in the same home she and Bailey built ever since that first day they moved in. Together, they raised their children in that home, and for many years they helped out other children in the community they called “their kids” as well.

Elizabeth was described by Laverne Wiles, one of her dearest friends, as “a lion of a woman.” She said that Elizabeth, “….was a life-changer; through her efforts, both personal and civic, she effected changes in the building of the North Shore Public Library, in the functioning of local governing bodies, in the improvement of the public schools – that made life better for all our citizens.”

In the December 4, 1975 issue of the Sentinel, she was honored as the San Jacinto Council Girl Scouts Troop #1987’s “Hidden Heroine.” This excerpt from the Sentinel tells a vivid story of some of her many accomplishments:

When she moved here, …North Shore was a tiny community out in the country, a suburb of the City of Houston. Due to the industries on the channel, North Shore began to grow along with Mrs. McGaffey’s love for her community. In September 1964, she planted a tiny seed…she decided that this area needed a library of its own and began a long crusade that involved civic organizations, businesses, and the children of the community. The land was donated by the Wendell Ley family. After that came hard work, hundreds of hours on the telephone, dozens of letters, and many trips to plead with officials. A huge ‘thermometer’ in the North Shore Shopping Center kept the public up-to-date on the monies that had been collected. When all her efforts seemed to be failing, Mrs. McGaffey wrote to the President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, and assistance came.”

The library was Mrs. McGaffey’s pet project, but she was involved in many others. She was an active member of the Parent-Teacher Association. She founded and was the first president of the Green Valley PTA in 1958-1960; the North Shore Senior High PTA in 1964-65; the North Shore Elementary PTA in 1967-69; and North Shore Junior High PTA in 1973-74. She was one of many people that brought the Galena Park Area Council of PTA’s into existence; was honored with a Texas Life Membership from Green Valley Elementary in 1960; and presented a National Life Membership from Cloverleaf Elementary in 1970.

Variety was the spice of life to Mrs. McGaffey and other projects included working for the auditorium at the old North Shore Senior High; leading in the drive to bring the San Jacinto North Campus to our community; bringing the Y.M.C.A. to North Shore; writing lots of letters until the Henke and Pillot store was built on Uvalde; and obtaining sidewalks for the Woodforest area.

Elizabeth loved other activities too. She was city champion swimmer in 1939. She served as president of the Friends of the Library, and was an avid member of the Band Parents organization of both Junior and Senior High School by drawing up their by-laws.”

Elizabeth also received a Citizenship Award for Outstanding Community Service by the VFW Ladies Auxiliary-Post 10462 for 1980-1981, and had a hand in building the new Cloverleaf Fire Department Building as well as the North Channel Emergency Medical Service Building.

She lived in North Shore for many years and remembered chopping Christmas trees where the old High School now stands. She also remembered that the first eating place on Uvalde was the Uvalde Malt and Burger stand.

After a short stay at Harbor Hospice Hospital for an acute kidney infection, Elizabeth Fretwell McGaffey finally gave up her almost 3-year battle with COPD. She died November 21, 2016.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 3:00 pm Sunday, December 4, at the Advantage Howard-Glendale Chapel at 1015 Federal Road, Houston, TX 77015.