Mother loved to hear me sing, therefore I wanted to do so for her memorial.  One hymn in particular seemed appropriate because it speaks of her devotion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  It was called "Each life that touches ours for good."

She was like the Savior in many ways, enriching our lives by her goodness, kindness and gentle ways. As she touched the lives of others, she reflected His great mercy and love.

The song spoke of the sweet memories we all hold dear now that she is no longer with us. All these things combine to bring us closer to Christ. Her life has been a blessing to us all, a loving gift from our Heavenly Father.

Words cannot express our heartfelt sympathy with you and your family during this difficult time.

Your mom was such a warm and generous person.  She deeply loved her family!  We will always treasure the fun memories of the "Murder Mystery"at her home.  She worked so hard and was an amazing cook.

The beautiful words and stories told at her funeral were a wonderful tribute.

How do we let a mother go?
How do we say "I'm ready now to go on without you?"
How can we ever have a clue of what that really means?
And of a sudden the moment is upon us and there's no turning back.
And then we know what grief is... and guilt and love and things undone.
Try to prepare and we will fail in some way, be it subtle or looming...

But there is peace too, peace and acceptance and overwhelming love that we maybe weren't aware of... Waves and waves of conflicting emotion.
And laughter too, and memories we hadn't bothered lately to recall come flooding back in shared company..and it's all about you mom...

And there's gratitude..so much of that, that we had you, such a wonderful mother.. Bright and shining, nobody's fool, independent but humble too; 
Smart and kind and fun.
Adventurous.
A part of you has passed away but much is carried everyday within us, and will as long as we are here.

This may be a final tribute,
A day to celebrate your life and say goodbyes,
But it's not final.
Every day I'll celebrate in some way, just by the virtue of how you shaped my life.
The absolute and incredible fortune that I knew you.
As a mother, a friend and a woman.

We were so sorry to hear of your mom's passing.  She was a good, strong woman who raised beautiful, strong daughters.  Love to all of your family.

I will miss Mildred so very much.  I have such lovely memories of her.  We used to go dancing at Dessau Dance Hall together.  We went to all sorts of Christian Singles gatherings together.  Later, Shirley Wehmer and I would go lunch with her at her house when she was "housebound".  What a lovely, kind and generous woman she was!

Mildred was nineteen when she had her first girl.  She loved being a mother and found many ways to spend time with her children.  In the early years she had a big bicycle with a large wicker basket attached to the handle bars.  She stuffed it with soft pillows and placed Carrolyn in it.  Off they went, the wind whipping through their hair and joyous laughter trailing behind them.  It was a true bonding experience. Trips to the park always included a roll of wax paper to rub on the metal slide for smoother descents.  Visits to the Fort Worth Zoo always included a train ride.  When they traveled through the dark tunnel, they joined all the other passengers in a loud scream.  

Mildred loved to window shop in downtown Fort Worth where store fronts featured animated scenes.  It was as good as going to the movies, and mother and daughter were thrilled at all they saw. Back at the Tackett home, a tall radio console stood in a corner of the living room.  At Christmas time, carols lilted and Mildred and Carrolyn learned them all.  Their favorite was Bing Crosby's rendition of "White Christmas" which they actually sang all year round.

Sometime around 1947 Mildred met Vann.  She recalled that she felt very worried about meeting his parents.  They lived in the country outside Corsicana and on the day of that meeting it had been raining.  The country road to their house was very slushy.  Mildred arrived with muddy feet, a dirty skirt and terrible trepidation.  To her relief and joy, Vann's parents were down to earth and totally accepting.  They helped her get cleaned up and loved her from the start.  Vann's sisters felt the same.  Mildred had a new family and she loved them dearly.

When the family moved from Handley to Poly, they became part of a neighborhood of friendly folks.  Mildred made delicious homemade ice cream and everyone gathered on the front lawn to sit on metal chairs, converse and enjoy. The children played into the dark, reveling in the sparkles of fire flies and the chirping of crickets.  It was wonderful.

Mildred joined her mother, Cecilia Tackett, as a Girl Scout leader.  They came up with delightful activities and craft projects for the troop.  Mildred attended a leadership training day camp and was asked to gather flowers for the table.  The facilitator was astonished by Mildred's decor, exclaiming, "Mrs. McCullough, that's poison ivy!!!"  Mildred never broke out! 

In addition to all the scouting opportunities, Mildred made sure her girls had chances to create music.  Carrolyn played piano and bass violin, Toni learned the flute while Leslea took up the piano and French horn (which she played in the University of Texas concert band). There were also dance lessons and charm school to help her girls be well-rounded.

Mildred made sure all special life events were exceptional, often going to great lengths.  When Carrolyn graduated high school, she ordered real orchids from Hawaii for a lovely luau. Mildred enjoyed cooking and trying out new recipes.  However, there was a period of time when she suffered from debilitating migraines.  Even so, she continued to cook, clean up and tend to the needs of her family.  

During a visit with her this past year, the conversation included memories of those difficult times. Mildred looked her daughter in the eyes and with a sweet smile stated, "It was my pleasure".  That sums up the kind of person Mildred was.

And... she was also fiercely protective of those she loved.  For example, Mildred took a friend to lunch.  They were standing in line having a nice conversation when a man behind them made a negative remark about what her friend was saying.  Mildred hiked her purse strap securely over her shoulder, straightened to her full stature, folded her hands one atop the other, turned to face the surprised man and calmly but firmly stated, "I don't believe she was talking to you".  She then returned to conversing with her friend leaving the man speechless.

Mildred's daughters and their children are forever grateful for the rich experiences and abundant love that she gave to them.  This is especially poignant because there came a time when they were able to give back in a most unusual manner. Mildred was in the intensive care unit a few weeks before her passing.  She had been involuntarily shivering all night and into the day.  No one could ascertain the reason and the severe movements were wearing her out. About four in the afternoon, one of Mildred's daughters realized that there was a pattern and rhythm to her shivers and the accompanying sounds she uttered. She  asked Mildred, "Mom, are you singing?" Mildred opened her eyes and smiled.  Then with a twinkle in those eyes she started moving her shoulders on purpose.  By mimicking the motions, the girls were able to capture the song...the Mexican Hat Dance!!  Mildred had been singing it in her head for almost twenty hours.  Her daughters sang with her and she laughed with sheer glee.  They sang together for nearly fifteen minutes.  After that Mildred didn't shiver anymore and was able to rest comfortably.  It was a true miracle....and it would be the last time the four of them would laugh together.

We feel blessed and grateful for her love and devotion.  We are better people because of our mother

God saw you getting tired
And knew we would weep
When he took you from us
As you fell asleep

A golden heart stopped beating
Hard working hands at rest
God broke our hearts but proved to us
He only takes the best

We love you mom...Mildred...and Mema. You will always be in our hearts.

My deepest and most heartfelt sorrow, sympathy and love are extended to my wife, Leslea McReynolds, and sisters Toni McCullough Dunne, Carrolyn Vaterlaus for the loss of their mother, my mother in law, Mildred McCullough. 

I remember that until 1987 or 88, Mildred drove from Austin to Fort Worth, about 3 hours or more every other weekend. (Mildred did not go over that speed limit, which was 55 in 1982, when my journey with this amazing woman and her family, began.) She and her sister from Houston would alternate weekends going up to care for their mother, Cecilia Tackett. She would drive to Ft Worth, take Nana out of the nursing home, take her back to her house for the weekend, then Sunday night take her back to the home for the week.
 
She has been an example of loyalty and the definition of family to her daughters to this day. She had a strength of character, and a level of integrity that was an inspiration to her family. 

She was always there for us, for whatever we needed, specially for babysitting, and she doted on those kids. Our children are both stronger, gentler, more wonderful because of her influence on their lives. (Even though, or maybe because, she spoiled them beyond belief.)

My condolences and love to all of the grandkids too, Drew Alexander, Steven Alexander, Shelley Cornia, Jennifer Adams, Ryan Dunne, Sean Dunne, Braydin McReynolds, Cauree McReynolds, Brady Beals, Kelly Beals. And there are great grandkids too, I have lost count of how many there are.

Mildred, we had our battles, you and I, but you know that I love you, and I thank you for all you have done for us and so many others.
 
I will cry because you are gone, and I will smile because a part of you still is here.

I was grateful to be able to visit with Mildred when she still lived in Windsor Park. Even though she was for many years previous to that unable to be present, she was still remembered by many. The congregation is praying for all of you and will remember her on All Saints Day next year.

Mildred was like a 2nd mom to me. Even when Leslea wasn't home, I would go to her house and talk with her about how things were going and problems I was having. She always tried to feed me during those visits! I will miss her.

I'm so grateful for the memories I have of Mrs. McCullough. As early as fifth grade, I remember going to Leslea's house, and no matter how loud our girls group became, Mrs. McCullough kept that beautiful smile. She was always so patient and kind with us.

One of the most memorable times was when Mrs. McCullough took us rowdy girls to Lake Thunderbird for an overnight campout. Mrs. McCullough was a true blessing in our lives.

One day when Mema picked me up from middle school, I mentioned how much I liked her car. The next words out of her mouth were "Well, you can have it."  She remembered 4 years later, and I'm still driving it today.

It was always fun -- We stopped at every outlet mall all the way to Minnesota - Mildred was a very good friend - Love to You

As a latecomer to the McCullough family, I don't have to years and years of memories that many people have of Mildred. What I do remember, vividly, is her smile.she could light up a room with her smile. It's a true testament to the type of woman she was that she never missed a beat accepting me into her family. I'll never forget the time she said something to the effect of having four daughters now. As Queen Mum, she accepted me into her red hat group (even though I didn't qualify by age) with open arms. Age truly was just a number to her. What mattered was love, family, friends, and fun. I have been and will always be honored to call her my mother-in-law.

What I remember about Mrs. McCullough.Well, I'd like to start with what I believe to be her greatest accomplishment. She raised 3 amazing women. Three women who have all made a difference in their profession and community. Three decent human beings who are honest, kind, and loving. 
Growing up on Haney in Austin there were always children out in the neighborhood. Running and playingno one stayed indoors. Mrs. McCullough always encouraged creative minds and entrepreneurs, thus the many shows we put on in her backyard. The cost5 cents. If you didn't have 5 cents, it was free. On the rare occasion, we had a snow storm, she stored snow in the freezer so she could make snow ice cream for us. When I was in the first grade, I just knew I could walk home after schoola short walk that turned in to an hour later being lost in the wrong direction from home. It was Mrs. McCullough who was driving around searching and found me. As an adult I am still directionally challenged. She captured a tarantula with hundreds of babies on its back so we could all have a look at the awesome site before she released them in an undisclosed location. She was brave soul to host so many slumber parties in her home. When she worked at CPL, we got to see some really strange things floating in jars at the lab when visited her at work. Always enriching young minds.always with an open door to her home.
As I got older, I realized she helped in the neighborhood as well. Once I was at her home when a neighbor came by with a large roll of cash to pay back a loan. Mrs. McCullough wasn't home so he gave it to her daughter and said to thank your mom for me. She was really cool when she bought a Volkswagen bug (good for gas mileage)a car I always wanted. She ran out of gas once near my mom's office and went in for help. My mom said, You know Mildred, you do have to put gas in them.
I could go on foreverHaney was a fun place as a child and Mrs. McCullough was always enriching young minds! 
Love to the family,

Lisa and Jo Bess

Toni and All: Ruth and I are very sorry for your great loss and pray for your strength both for today and the difficult days that will follow. Rick and Ruth Galway (Burlington, Ontario, Canada)

Toni and All: Ruth and I are very sorry for your great loss and pray for your strength both for today and the difficult days that will follow.

I moved in with Mema when I was 18 or 19...her and I had developed somewhat of a weekly ritual. Saturday evenings I would go buy lottery tickets for us. We came up with some lucky numbers and would play the same ones every week. After buying the tickets we would sit in the kitchen and watch America's Most Wanted and then afterwards check to see if we were millionaires. I still have the numbers memorized to this day and play them every one in a while. I love you Mema and will miss you.

Carrolyn, I am so sorry you have lost your sweet mother.  I am grateful I was able to get to know her.  I know how close you were and how difficult this time is for you.  I am thinking of you and your family.  Blessings, 
Fondly, Alice Marshall Davis

Nothing can ease the difficulty of what has happened in your lives, but every day- 
 You are wished and prayed for with blessing and a little peace of mind.

The memory I have with Mrs. McCullough is Leslea teaching me a tune on their piano and we played it over and over until I GOT IT. Mrs. McCullough asked us to please stop, it was driving her crazy.  It's still the only tune I can play and I've never forgotten that memory. RIP Mrs. McCullough. Judy Barron Gilbert

So sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Mildred Cecilia Tackett McCullough

12 février 1925 – 19 novembre 2016

Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park

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