Edith Lucille Anderson Baugh

Edith Lucille Anderson Baugh, a self-described original West Coast flower child with a deep faith in God, spent a lifetime making others smile, whether from her always-sharp sense of humor or the deep kindness that was an essential part of her very being.

She died Wednesday, April 20, 2011 in San Antonio at the age of 86.

Edie - best described by a couple of her favorite words, "wonderful" and "marvelous" - was born June 1, 1924, to Edward E. Anderson and Edith L. Hunter in Berkeley, Calif.

She lived with her parents and sister in her childhood home until she married George H. Baugh, then a naval pilot and navigator she met during World War II when she was working as secretary to a Navy admiral.

After the two wed and George left the Navy, they moved to Dallas, where they started a family. They had two children, George Whitfield Baugh and Edith Louise Baugh. She always ran the house, wherever it was, as George spent a career as an executive with Sears, Roebuck & Co. Over the years, they lived in Texas, Kansas and Nebraska.

Known as Edie by her friends, she spent her entire adult life caring for George. Long before it had become the hip thing to do, Edie practiced yoga. She loved jewelry, especially silver and turquoise, and got a new piece whenever George was relocated to a new city. They retired to San Antonio to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Though she celebrated just about every holiday there is, Edie's favorite was Christmas. Each year, she'd spend months preparing - from shopping for gifts and wrapping them to decorating her home and sending out cards.

Edie's deviled eggs were famous, a treat that everyone looked forward to, and knew would appear at any family gathering. On birthdays, she and George were always the first to call with best wishes and a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday to You."

Edie was active at Alamo Heights Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir. She was also a past president of the Blue Bird Auxiliary with the Methodist Hospital system.

She was a sports fan with such intensity that it could only be described as "rabid." She especially favored the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Cowboys, could carry on detailed conversations about team rosters each year and always had choice words for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Her family often joked that Edie missed her calling of writing greeting cards and jingles for Hallmark. She was the Queen of Puns.

Edie, maven of kitch, cherished her daily telephone conversations with her older sister, Dorothy Walton, of Walnut Creek, Calif.

Recently, she transitioned from being "Grandma Edie" to "GG," short for "great-grandmother," a name she gave herself in recognition of her first great-grandchild, Emma, who was born in 2008.

Edie was preceded in death by her husband, George, who passed away March 27, 2011.

She is survived by her sister of Walnut Creek, Calif; her daughter, Edith Louise Shugart and husband David Shugart of Laguna, N.M; her son, George W. Baugh and wife Alissa Levey Baugh of San Antonio; her grandson Josh Baugh, wife Ashley Cash and daughter Emma, of San Antonio; her granddaughter Amanda Baugh and fiancé Jason Lee, of Chicago; and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, April 28 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, followed by a noon memorial service at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church. The Rev. Donna Strieb will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.