When you read this I will be celebrating in Heaven with my Heavenly Father and all my loved ones who have gone on before me. “What a day…glorious day…. that will be”…I have always loved that song and now I know why.
My birth on October 12, 1931, in Brackenridge Hospital, Austin, Texas to Mamie Burns and Dorris Jack Barnett, was the first of my three siblings to be born in a hospital. I grew up in a typical middle class neighborhood. …where ‘everybody knows your name’ and we never locked our doors. My friends & I went to the Movies every Saturday at the State, Queen or Paramount Theater for Ten Cents ….it eventually went up to $.12 and then .25 cents. I remember going with my parents to Wooldridge Park for political speeches and band concerts. We also watched Gov. W. Lee O’Daniel give speeches from the front porch of the Mansion with his Western Band, “The Light Crust Doughboys.“ Our family had wonderful 4th of July celebrations at Barton Springs… Bingo, Carnival rides and ending with a great fireworks display over the swimming pool. Also, during the summer months there were Sing—Alongs at Barton Springs with Director Dan Grieder and a full orchestra. The words to the songs were projected on a screen at the Barton Springs Theater area. Thursday nights were popular songs and Sunday nights were religious songs.
My family’s church membership was with East Avenue Baptist Church where both my Mom and Dad taught Sunday School classes. I gave my heart to the Lord at the age of ten and was baptized by our Pastor, Rev. E. L. Sparks.
After graduating from Austin High School in January 1949, I was hired as Receptionist at Western Reserve Life Ins. Co. on the corner of 12 & Lavaca. After working there several months I decided to go to Howard Payne University in Brownwood, TX. My brother, Frank, was in HPU and playing football so that was a great incentive for me to go there. I was very fortunate to be elected All-‐Campus Queen my freshman year…having a big brother playing football didn’t hurt anything!!
In August 1952, I married Wm. Thomas (Bill) Cloud. Golf became a great hobby for the two of us. I joined the Austin Women’s Golf Assoc. and played several times a week. It was great fun and then…. we had a daughter, Lisa Gaye Cloud Rushing, and two sons, Kelly Thomas Cloud, and William Rodney Cloud. Children and Golf do not go together…so I gave up golf. I am very proud of my children…the highlight of my life.
I was intrigued with politics and after my children started school, I volunteered in the campaign of Congressman Homer Thornberry and later for Congressman J.J. (Jake) Pickle. I worked for Will Davis who was Democratic National Committeeman of Texas in the early 60’s. We were in charge of the Texas Welcome Dinner for President John F. Kennedy and Vice-‐President Lyndon B. Johnson to be held in the Municipal Auditorium on Nov. 22, 1963. What a tragedy and a great loss to our Country when our President was killed.
In the late 60’s & early ‘70’s, I was employed in the House of Representatives for three Regular and four Special Sessions.
Crawford Martin was elected Attorney General of Texas in 1968 and I worked both in the campaign and as his Secretary the six years he was Attorney General. His wife, Margaret Martin, and I became good friends and she was very dear to me. Lewis and I married December, 1972 and while on our honeymoon Crawford had a heart attack and died in his office his last day as Attorney General. A great loss for Texas.
When Lewis and & I married, we combined two families for a total of seven children. Three of Lewis’ children were already married and had children, so I became an instant grandmother. We were fortunate to have a large family and we had many fun times celebrating at parties and special holidays throughout each year.
Lewis and I were members of Allandale Baptist Church in the ‘70’s & early ‘80’s where I also was a member of the Ladies Chorus. We were a group of 12 with Barbara O’Chester as our leader. What a great several years we had singing together. We traveled to many places for performances and became life-‐long friends. I look forward to singing with them again when we all have our Heavenly voices. In the late 80’s Lewis & I joined Hyde Park Baptist Church and also have many friends there. I worked on many parties, church functions, etc with so many wonderful friends I made there over the years!
I worked for Price Daniel, Jr., who was Speaker of the House of Representatives, in the 1973-‐74 Legislative Session. Later on I was Director of the Lawyer Referral Service under the State Bar of Texas that was housed in a renovated, two-‐story, rock house behind the Travis County Courthouse. I then worked several years for Jim Martin, Crawford’s son. First, Jim headed up the Defense Lawyers Project for the State Bar and I continued to work for him when he opened his own Legal Firm. I worked in the 2000 campaign “George W. Bush for President” and after the election fight I went to Washington and worked on the Inauguration for President Geo. W. Bush. What a thrill and such fun for Lewis and I to attend all the Presidential Inaugural festivities.
About this time retirement was on my mind. Lewis was Director of the Nat’l. Guard Association and I was offered the opportunity to run the National Guard Travel Program. I could not resist. The fourteen years I had that job was such a blessing. I always enjoyed planning parties and trips so this was the chance of a lifetime. I was so fortunate to take groups to tour not only our wonderful United States, Alaska & Hawaii but also the World …….we went to the Taj Mahal in India, the beautiful St. Basil’s Cathedral in Leningrad. I climbed the Great Wall of China, & cruised the Amazon River in South America, the Nile River in Egypt, the Mediterranean Sea and sailed on a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. On the Black Sea Cruise we were on the largest ship possible to sail through the Corinth Canal…3 ft. clearance on either side. I experienced Hot Air Balloon rides over the Serengeti in Kenya and also in the Outback of Australia…Para-‐sailing in Mazatlan, Mexico… Scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and climbed part way up Ayres Rock. I had a camel ride near the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt…and visited the Parthenon & Acropolis of Greece. We visited St. Peter’s Basilica and saw Pope John Paul II in his Pope-‐Mobil. We also lunched at the Eiffel Tower and had High Tea at Palm Court in the Ritz Hotel in London. Oh, I cannot forget… I kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland. But none were as impressive as when I walked where Jesus walked. What a wonderful two trips to Israel…the Holy Land.
Lewis and I made life-‐long friends both in our churches, in our travels and also in the National Guard of Texas and the United States. The National Guard is the backbone of this Country!
After retiring as Director of the National Guard Travel Program I renewed my second hobby of Genealogy. I had researched my family off and on since the ‘40’s and now am a proud member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and Daughters of the American Revolution.
In April 2002, Austin had the 25th Annual Capitol 10,000 race…so at the age of 70 I participated and finished the race (1st in my age group)… just to prove to myself that I could!
In May 2009 the Lord took Lewis home after a few years of battling cancer. It was quite a shock since he had never been in a hospital and never even had a doctor’s prescription. He was always in great health. After living alone for six years, August (Augie) Boto and I met at our church, Hyde Park Baptist Church. Augie had lost his wife of 62 years in 2011. He then moved to Austin to help a grandson in his new business. Augie joined Hyde Park where we met. From the first date on June 28, 2015, we felt God had brought us together. We married on September 11th that year. I am so blessed!
Two husbands, brother, two sisters & their husbands, my son, niece and nephew in law who passed on before me are: Wm. (Bill) T. Cloud and Lewis O. King of Austin, Frank Barnett, Dallas and sisters Mavis Barnett Morrison & Wm. Roy Morrison; Lynn Barnett (Hill, Melchior) Hosny & Bill Hosny; my two nieces, Carol Seiders Nevill, Dallas & Linda Kay Barnett, Dallas. Wayne Mire, Houston & My son, Wm. Rodney Cloud, Austin.
My surviving children are; Lisa & Jim Rushing; Judi & Kelly Cloud; Lesli & Sam King; Diane & Tom King; Cindy & David Bradford all of Austin & nearby area. Also, Angie & John Huff, Briscoe, Texas and my “almost daughter-‐in-‐law” Lisa Billingsley Jackens of Georgetown, TX. , Also, I love all of Augie Boto’s children. Grandchildren: Jessica Hufschmid, Kim & Joshua Cloud & great grandson, Logun; & Dylan Cloud; Michael King, Kasey & Jed Kennis, Karey & Cody Smith; Karissa & Lucas Horton, Kourtney & Nathan Shepard, Emily & Kody King; also, Calandra & Bryan Bradford, Greg Bradford, Brooke & Steven Bradford; Celeste & Tommy Rutledge, Bronwyn & Matthew Huff, and Vanessa Huff. Also, I love all of Augie Boto’s grandchildren. These wonderful grandchildren have given us many, many great-grandchildren. God is good.
Thank you to all my family and friends who are always in my heart!!
Please join my family and Dr. Kie Bowman for my Memorial Service on Monday, April 29, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that contributions be made to Hyde Park Baptist Church or the charity of your choice.
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Hyde Park Baptist Church3901 Speedway, Austin, TX 78751
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