Sylvia Joyce Cougot

Sylvia Joyce White Cougot died after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease on June 10, 2014 in Austin, Texas. She was born on June 19, 1934 in Refugio, Texas to Clara Prescott White and Herbert White. Sylvia was raised by her beloved grandparents until the age of 5 when her mother married a wonderful man, Reese R. Hardin, and moved to Dumas, Texas to live with them. A much beloved baby brother, R. Wesley Hardin, completed the family and they eventually settled in Pasadena, Texas. Sylvia didn't meet her biological father until she was a teenager when she learned she had a half sister, Berniece White.

Sylvia graduated from Pasadena High School at the age of 16 and attended business school in Houston. She started working at a grocery store in Houston at age 14, after lying about her age. She had many secretarial/bookkeeping jobs through the years including stints at Burns Detective Agency, J & J Valve, managing the Aquarium Club, managing a Physical Therapy office and finally retiring from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Sylvia married a handsome Marine, Buddy J. Denson, in 1952. They had 2 daughters: Teresa and Katy. She then married Jesse E. Cougot in 1972 and they were together until Jesse's death in 1990. A brief marriage to Chester Massey followed. She then met John Cleek, a kind and generous man that she was with until his death in 2012.

Sylvia is survived by her daughter, Teresa J. Miller and son in law Banks L. Miller of Austin, her grandson Dr. Banks P. Miller (wife Rachel) and great grandson Banks C. Miller of Plano, her brother Wesley Hardin and sister in law Irene Hardin of Brenham, Texas, nephew Alan Hardin of Pasadena, Texas, niece, Renee Hardin of League City, Texas, and aunt Marjorie Foster of Cuero, Texas.

Sylvia was a beautiful, intelligent, strong woman that survived the loss of an infant daughter, breast cancer, divorces and widowhood. She loved her family, men that could dance, her Yorkies-Churchill, Clementine, Dixie and Tuffy, and Bingo. The family is grateful for the excellent care she received from the staff at Emeritus of Beckett Meadows Memory Care and A-Med Hospice. She will be interred next to Jesse in Brookside Memorial Park following the visitation at 10AM and Funeral Service at 11AM.