Mildred Archer Prentice

Lena Mildred Archer was born in Hall, San Saba County, Texas, on November 11, 1910, the eldest child of Willie Mae Bell Archer and Albert Enoch Archer, and she died in her Westminster Manor home on May 30, 2007. She graduated from Richland Springs High School in 1928 and majored in music at Hardin-Simmons University and Howard Payne College; she also attended The University of Texas. On August 20, 1930, she married Noble W. Prentice, who was then superintendent of schools in Richland Springs. She taught public school music in Richland Springs for ten years until their move to Sonora, Texas, when her husband became school superintendent in Sonora. In 1942 they and their young family moved to Austin, where she lived for the rest of her life. For all her 96 years she was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, “Nana,” and friend. Mildred Prentice was interested in education and music throughout her life. While her husband was in U.T. Law School in the late 1940s she resumed her music education career by teaching private piano lessons in her home. She excelled as a pianist, and she volunteered her service as pianist for many years at the Richland Springs Baptist Church and much later at Westminster Manor, where she played for Sunday Vespers for eleven years and in the Manor’s Health Care Center, where her music enriched the lives of its residents. Mildred was the consummate homemaker and mother. Her motherly duties began at age 14 when her own mother died, leaving her to be surrogate mother to her three younger brothers, and for the rest of her life, as long as she was able, she was happiest when she was caring for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a wonderful cook and hostess and loyal supporter of her husband’s business, professional and civic activities, and her children could not have had a stronger cheerleader for whatever they did. She loved card games, and she spent many happy hours with her bridge club or with her husband and their couple’s poker club. Rarely did she miss her Dallas Cowboys on TV, and she had great knowledge about their NFL opponents. She was a loyal fan of U.T. sports, especially football and basketball. But she most looked forward to her annual summer stay in Ruidoso and the horseraces where she became adept at betting and winning. Mildred Prentice was active in the life of her community. She was a loyal member of Hyde Park Baptist Church, a charter member of The Austin Lawyers’ Wives Club, a longtime member of The Modern Study Club, a member of The Austin Women’s Club and The Heritage Society of Austin. She and Noble Prentice were members of The Country Club of Austin, Headliners’ Club, Onion Creek Club and charter members of Westwood Country Club. Of all her own activities Mildred was most proud of her association with The Settlement Club of Austin, which she joined in 1953. Her proudest achievements there were the purchase of land on Peyton Gin Road, where The Settlement Home campus now stands, and the hiring of the first full-time director of The Settlement Home, both occurring during her 1962-63 presidency. Mildred was preceded in death in 1992 by her husband of 62 years. She was also preceded by her three brothers, Norman D. Archer, Girvice W. Archer, Sr., W. T. Archer, Sr., and by Norman’s wife, Tommy Ruth Archer, and by her husband’s sister and three brothers and all their spouses and by countless friends. She is survived by her children, Dr. James A. Prentice and his wife Dr. Linda Gilbert Prentice, Sharon Prentice Eisenberg and her husband Jack C. Eisenberg, and Linda Prentice Dill; by her grandchildren, Alexandra Prentice Saenz (Paul B.), Dr. Laura Prentice Masters (Dr. Joseph D.), James G. Prentice, Kathy Elledge Boccieri (Michael C.), Deborah Elledge Brown (Rev. Dr. Dale), Amy Elledge Carrier (Larry), Blake A. Pounds (Dawn) and Melinda Pounds Plante, and by nineteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Ruth Archer and Vera Archer, who with Tommy Ruth Archer she loved as much as real sisters, by her niece and nephews, Nancy Archer Ford (Jon), Dayton Archer, Dr. Girvice W. Archer, Jr., William T. Archer, Jr. (Sandra), Robert A. Archer and Ted Archer; by several cousins, and by her loyal friends and longtime lunch mates, Tura Hobbs and Rose Catherine Chote. Her funeral service will be conducted by The Rev. Dr. Ralph M. Smith, Pastor Emeritus of Hyde Park Baptist Church, in the chapel of Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 North Lamar Blvd, at 10 A.M. on Monday, June 4. Music will be provided by Mildred’s friend, Terry Heller, and her granddaughter, Deborah Elledge Brown. Burial will be later that day at a family service to be conducted by Mildred’s grandson-in-law, the Rev. Dr. Dale Brown, in the Richland Springs Cemetery in Archer family plot next to her husband and her parents. Honorary pallbearers will be her five nephews and Jon G. Ford. Mildred Prentice’s family especially thank her loving and dedicated caregivers of the past several years, Norine Cruz, Ruth Norris, Patsy Estorga, Kim Walls, Juna Gonzales, Liz Delgado, Nora Cabello and the late Mary Lupercio. Thanks go also to her physicians, Drs. Scott Ream, Terry Collier, Robert Pederson, William Holcomb, John “Chip” Oswalt and the late James E. Kreisle, Sr., for providing such excellent care for so many years that she lived very well for many years in spite of diabetes and severe heart disease. Finally, they thank Mr. Joe Snyder and his superb staff at Westminster Manor for providing a real home to Mildred since 1985 with many new and interesting friends, who continually renewed and enriched her life in its later years. Mildred Prentice asked that memorial contributions be made to The Settlement Home, 1600 Peyton Gin Road, Austin, TX 78758, or to Westminster Manor Library, 4100 Jackson Avenue, Austin, TX 78731.