Elizabeth A. Austin

ELIZABETH ANN HEARD AUSTIN passed away on Wednesday, the 17th of March, 2010, at the age of 91.Elizabeth was born on the 28th of April, 1918, in Temple, Texas, to Lawrence Pleasant Heard, Sr., and Bertha Ivy Lundell Heard. She grew up in Belton, Texas, and attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas, where she earned both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in speech. For her thesis, she produced and directed a play.

On the 31st of August, 1940, Elizabeth married her long-time love, Harry G. Austin, in Miami, Florida, after which the couple moved back to Texas and later to Madrid and Seville, Spain, and Milan and Ravenna, Italy. Her sense of adventure and love of culture and the arts was enriched by time spent in museums, cathedrals, and streets lined with orange trees. In 1959, Elizabeth and her family moved to Houston, and upon joining St. Luke's United Methodist Church, she spent much of her time studying with the Women's Society of Christian Service. She led study groups and needle pointed kneelers for the church sanctuary. She and Harry were honored to receive the Distinguished Life Award from St. Luke's United Methodist Church for their years of service and dedication. She also studied art at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts School and painted for many years. Besides her artwork, Elizabeth loved gardening, bird watching, and dancing with Harry.

She is preceded in death by her brother, L.P. Heard, Jr., and her husband, Harry. She is survived by her daughters, Lucy Ann Austin of Greensboro, North Carolina, Elizabeth Henderson and her husband Donald of Kerrville, Texas, and Catherine Wyatt of Houston, Texas; grandchildren, Austin Page and his wife Donna of Sugar Land, Texas, Joel Page and his wife Peggy of Dallas, Texas, Luke Wyatt of Boston, Massachusetts, Sara Austin and Ann Austin, both of Greensboro, North Carolina; and great-grandchildren, Kathryn and Lindsay Page of Sugar Land, Texas. She is also survived by long-time friend, Nella Moore of Houston, Texas. The family wishes to thank all of Elizabeth's sitters who took good care of her, as well as the nurses and staff at the Hallmark and the staff of Hospice Compassus.

A funeral service is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Friday, the 19th of March, in the Chapel of St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston, where Rev. Taylor Meador Fuerst is to officiate. Immediately following the service, all are invited to join the family for a reception in the adjacent Hines Baker Room. The graveside service and interment is to be conducted at the North Belton Cemetery in Belton, Texas at two o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 20th of March. In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in honor of Elizabeth H. Austin be directed to the charity of one's choice.