Gladys Faye Brown Lind

Gladys Lind died peacefully in her home in Austin on Sunday, September 17, 2006 surrounded by her family and friends. She was predeceased in death by her parents Cora Shook Brown and William Lee Brown, her husband Carl L. Lind Jr., three sisters: Luella Brown, Lois Brown and Dorothy Mason, five brothers: Clyde Brown, Lloyde Brown, Everett Brown, Eugene Brown and Hoyle Brown. She is survived by her daughter Patricia and son-in-law Brian Derx of Houston, son Clifton and daughter-in-law Cindy Lind of Austin, five grandchildren: Shannon Lind of Colleyville, Jeff Lind and his wife Ashleigh of Austin, Justin Derx of Austin, Karen Derx of Houston, Ian Derx of Houston, and three great grandchildren: Jefferson, Jackson and Browning Lind of Austin, sister-in-law Ruth Winkler of Dallas, brother-in-law Eugene Flynn of Ft. Worth, and many nieces and nephews. Gladys was born in Davenport, Oklahoma but moved to her grandparent’s ranch in Montana when she was seven years old. She relocated to Austin when she was fourteen and graduated from Austin High School. She graduated from Business College and worked in Austin until her retirement at age 65. The essence of Gladys’ life can be summed up in the following four words: family, faith, friends and fun. Throughout her life she remained devoted to both the immediate and extended family. She worshiped her mother, idolized her brothers, cherished her relationship with her sisters, loved, treasured and cared for her late husband, nurtured her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and “trained them up in the ways of the Lord” and the essence of life. Gladys was always the first to go to the aid of a family member or a friend in need and served as the social chairman of both her immediate and extended family by organizing and rallying support for family events and reunions. Gladys was afraid of no man or woman and was legendary for expressing her views on both political and social issues at a time when this was not accepted as a traditional role for women. Gladys also felt that each person should take control of their own life, while bearing in mind that it is better to serve others than to be served. Gladys’ love of music and literature was only exceeded by her sense of humor and positive outlook on life. She believed that whatever obstacles we face, we should approach them optimistically and maintain a sense of humor. Gladys was well founded in and never wavered from her spiritual beliefs and her obligation to see that each family member gave faith a chance. Only last week while visiting with family members at her residence of many years, Gladys said that she was ready to go “home”. In keeping with Gladys’ wishes, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gladys’ memory to either the Grace United Methodist Church memorial fund at 205 E. Monroe Street, Austin, TX 78704 or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in care of IBC, P.O. Box 272243, Houston, TX 77277. Visitation will be held on Tuesday night, September 19 from 6-8pm and services will be held on Wednesday, September 20 at 1:00pm. Both visitation and services will be held at the Wilke Clay Fish Funeral Home at 2620 S. Congress Ave. with interment in the Masonic Garden at Capital Parks Memorial Hill Cemetery on North IH35. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com