Natalie Huckabee

Natalie died August 28, 2015, at her home with family and friends by her side.

Natalie was born November 24, 1915, in Memphis, Tennessee. The Hudson family moved to Arkansas when Natalie was still a baby because of her health. They eventually settled in Norphlet, near El Dorado, Arkansas.

She started first grade 3 months shy of being 6 years old, skipped 4th grade and graduated from Norphlet High School in 1932. At 16 she went off to college at Magnolia A&M and graduated from there after 2 years. She then went to Henderson State Teacher's College in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. She left Henderson after one year to teach 4th grade at Norphlet Elementary School. She was 19 years old. Her starting salary was $60 a month. For two years she taught there and attended summer school at Henderson to complete her undergraduate work. When Natalie was 20, she went to a high school in the Ozarks to teach 9-12th grade English. After a year there she moved to Springhill, Arkansas, again teaching 9-12th grade English. There she met and married Dudley Huckabee in 1935, which resulted in both of them losing their jobs because a husband and wife could not teach at the same school in those days. As a result they taught and lived in different towns for two years, spending summers together in Norphlet at Natalie's parents' home.

In 1937 they were both able to move to Norphlet and teach in the Norphlet schools. In January of 1946 their daughter, Judith Ann, was born and Natalie was a stay-at-home mom for all of 7 months. In September of 1946, she went back to teaching high school English at Norphlet High School.

During the summers, Natalie and Dudley would go to East Texas State in Commerce, Texas, to work on their master's degrees. In 1954, they moved to Baytown to teach. After teaching a total of 50 years, 31 at Robert E. Lee High School, Natalie retired from GCCISD in 1985. She was named teacher of the year in 1983, and was head of the English Department at Lee when she retired. Her former students will remember having to memorize a portion of William Cullen Bryant's poem ""Thanatopsis"" which she always said would be read at her funeral and so it shall.

Natalie was a charter member of the Epsilon Psi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. She was a member of First Baptist Church since moving to Baytown in 1954 and faithfully taught a senior adult ladies' Sunday School class until a year ago. She loved to play bridge and played twice a week, also until a year ago. Natalie loved to travel. One of her favorite places to visit was England where some of the poets she taught about for so many years came to life for her. A highlight of her visit to the English Lake District was to William Wordsworth's home where she was asked to sit in his chair and read one of his poems, ""I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,"" to the other visitors. Natalie spent any other free time reading and crocheting.

Natalie was preceded in death by her parents, Nathan and Virginia Anne Hudson; sister, Mamie Marguarite Hudson; brother, Nathan Patrick Hudson and her husband of 58 years, Dudley Huckabee.

She is survived by her daughter, Judi Mitchell; grand-daughter and husband, Allison and David Carsey; three great-granddaughters, Graceanne, Ella, and Caroline Carsey all of Baytown. She is also survived by sister, Mildred Brent of Berryville, Virginia; sister-in-law Wanda Hudson, of El Dorado, Arkansas; two nieces, three nephews and their spouses, children and grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Signature Home Heath and Hallmark Hospice for their excellent care. Much love and thanks to her primary care giver and our friend, Carol Clary, and to Thelma Ford and Amy Francios - week-end care givers.

The family will receive visitors Monday, August 31 from 6-8 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery.

For those desiring, donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Baytown.

To view her online obituary, or post a tribute to her family, go to www.navarrefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Drive, Baytown, Texas 77521, (281) 422-8111.