Nauty Byrd Mayer

Nauty Byrd Pelphrey Mayer, 89, Gladewater civic leader, passed away at the home of her daughter, Pati Milligan, on Wednesday, July 14, 2010. Memorial services will be held at noon Friday, July 23, at Croley Funeral Home with Larry W. Osborne officiating. Her ashes will later be interred next to her husband Gordon Joseph Mayer at Gladewater Memorial Cemetery. Nauty Byrd and Gordon were married at Old Post Chapel, Fort Sill, Oklahoma on September 25, 1943. This year their granddaughter Mindy will be married on their 67th anniversary.

Born in 1920 in Weatherford, Texas to Lasco Wheeler and Nauty Byrd Wornell Pelphrey, the family followed the oil booms first to Breckenridge then to Gladewater in 1933. She enjoyed being a majorette at Gladewater High School and one of her fondest memories was traveling to New York with the band. She attended TCU before graduating from the University of Texas in 1943 where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She supported the war effort by knitting sweaters and rolling bandages for the troops. She enjoyed attending Sunday afternoon tea dances given for the soldiers at the Driskell Hotel in Austin.

She began teaching first grade and kindergarten in Gladewater in 1955. On completion of her Masters degree in Library Science she was honored to be selected as the Weldon K-12 School librarian during the three "Freedom of Choice" years in 1966 before integration. She wrote a history of Weldon School for the last school annual that was published. This history was republished in a special edition on Black Heritage in the Gladewater Mirror on February 8, 1991 and 2001. She began the computerization of the Gladewater Middle School library before retiring in 1989. She was a certified County Librarian and consultant for Lee Public Library.

Nauty Byrd instilled her love of travel in her family. Along with her daughter and granddaughters she drove through 45 states and traveled extensively in North American, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. She was the absolute hostess who opened her home to many civic and social groups in the community.

Nauty Byrd used her interests in all things historical as President of the Gladewater Historical Foundation she wrote, edited, and formatted a 161 page centennial book “Gladewater, Texas 1873-1973” and a 216 page book “Gladewater, Texas 1976, BICENTENNIAL EDITION.” She served as officer at the national, state, and local levels for DAR, Magna Charta Dames, Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century, Daughters of the American Colonists, Huguenot Society of Texas, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Daughters of the War of 1812, United Daughters of the Conferacy, Gregg County Historical and Genealogical Society, Gladewater Heritage Society, Gregg County Historical Commission, and Board of Directors of Gregg County Historical Museum.

In Gladewater she was officer of Daleth Study Club, Three Arts Club, Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Board, Gladewater Former Student’s Association, Rodeo Director’s Auxilary, Garden Club, Beta Sigma Phi, and Gladewater Hospital Auxiliary.

She was a faithful member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Gladewater, serving as Sunday school teacher, Episcopal Church Women president and Bishop’s committee clerk. She demonstrated her artistic abilities when she and Barbara Williams designed and produced 18 stained glass windows for the church along with a rose window which now hangs at First Baptist Church, Gladewater. She was appointed Bishop’s Warden for 2 years and in that role she had the difficult job of closing the church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and her brother-in-law Dr. James H. Goodson.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Dr. Patricia and Mike Milligan, Waco; granddaughters, Dr. Mindy Milligan, Manchester, England and Dr. Mitzi Milligan, Christchurch, New Zealand; son and daughter-in-law Gordon J. (Rick) Mayer, Jr. and Barbra Leftwich, DeSoto; grandchildren Zachary Leftwich, Plano, Stefen and Isabel Glenn of Moore, Danielle Walker, Plano; great grandchildren Joseph and Daniel Glenn, Haley Walker, Stefan Velasquez, and Ian Cummings. Sisters and brother-in-law Rose Marie and Dr. Martin H. Boone Jr., Springfield, MO and Minnette Goodson, Dripping Springs and many dear nieces and nephews.

The family is deeply grateful to Olivia, Nikki, Stacy, Jamie, Stacy, Bree and especially to Pauline Olvera for the loving care given Nauty Byrd over the past year, .

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo Association, Nauty Byrd Mayer Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 566, Gladewater, TX 75647 for a scholarship in her name or a charity of your choice. Please sign the online guestbook at www.gracegardensfh.com.

Memorial Service

12 - PM ,Friday, July 23, 2010