Frances Marie Bookout

She is survived by her devoted and loving husband of 67 years, Luther Azle Bookout, Jr. of Burnet, TX, and three children: Edwin Jackson Bain Bookout (wife Sally) of San Diego, CA, Nanette Marie Bookout of Arlington, TX, and Judith Bookout Adams (husband Robert) of Round Rock, TX. Also sur-viving are her 5 grandsons (David Bookout, Brian Bookout, Christopher Bookout, Matthew Adams, and Jared Adams) and 4 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Navy Lt. E. J. Bain, in 1944 and grandson, Ethan Adams, in 2010.

Frances was born in Austin TX on March 19, 1921 and was the only child of Matthew Kuykendall Hamner and Carrie Virginia May Hamner. Frances spent her early years in the beautiful hill county area of Cherokee, TX. Her family later moved to Weslaco, TX in the Rio Grande Valley where she attended school and graduated with honors from Weslaco High School.

Times were hard in post-depression days, but Frances was determined to get a college education. She received a scholarship to Texas State College for Women in Denton TX (now Texas Women’s University) and worked jobs on campus to achieve her goals. She graduated in June 1942 with a de-gree in Home Economics and with the goal of teaching.

Frances began her teaching career in Corpus Christi, TX and met her first husband, Navy Lt. E. J. Bain. After his death during WWII, she moved back to Weslaco to await the birth to her son, Jack, and to teach. While there she met and fell in love with Luther Bookout, and they married in March of 1947. They made their home in Harlingen, TX, where they were blessed with the addition of 2 daughters, Nan and Judy, to their family. They were also members of First Baptist Church of Harlingen for 50 years. Frances loved serving in the church where she was the nursery coordinator for 21 years, subsequently led many Bible study classes, and loved leading Precept Bible studies. She also used her Home Economics education, teaching life skills in the classroom and leading the Home Economics Cooperative Education (HECE) program at Harlingen High School for 21 years.

Frances had an avid love for God’s wonderful creation. In the course of visiting 46 states, she devel-oped a special love for the mountains of Colorado. For many years, she would spend her summers escaping the heat of the Rio Grande Valley at the Bookout’s Colorado cabin in Pagosa Springs, and loved sharing the Christmas season with family at the cabin. In 1996, she and Luther relocated to Burnet in the Texas hill country, bringing some Colorado columbines and daisies to populate her flower garden.

Frances also had an abiding love for God’s Word and continued to teach Precept Bible classes at First Baptist Church of Burnet for several years. One of her most rewarding experiences was her par-ticipation for many years in the church’s Main Street Bethlehem during the Christmas season. She had the joy of teaching and telling children about the birth of Jesus in the unique setting of old Bethle-hem.

Frances was an encourager. She encouraged and supported Luther in establishing and running his commercial art business in Harlingen; she encouraged her children in their educations and accom-plishments; and she impacted the lives of many students in Harlingen as they came through the Home Economics Department at the high school.

As her health declined over the past few years due to strokes accompanied with dementia, Frances became homebound and lived her last year at the Granite Mesa Health Center in Marble Falls. Spe-cial thanks to home caregiver, Laverne Minton, and the loving staff at Granite Mesa as they cared for her. Her life was truly one of service —wife, mother, teacher, Bible study leader — always seeking to serve her Lord to the fullest. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at 10:00 am at First Baptist Church of Burnet with interment to follow at Kuykendall Cemetery in Cherokee, TX. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Burnet designated for Main Street Bethlehem, P. O. Box 310, Burnet, TX 78611.

Arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Burnet, Texas. Condolences may be made at www.clementswilcoxburnet.com.