Ethelyn Cramer Kuldell Rather

Ethelyn Kuldell Hedges Rather died on the 15th of February, 2011. She was born in Portland, Connecticut in 1913 to R.C. and Ethelyn Kuldell. Her father graduated from West Point and Ethelyn spent her first 6 years on Army posts across the United States. Colonel Kuldell was hired by Howard Hughes, Sr. to work at the Hughes Tool Company and his family moved to Houston in 1919. Ethelyn attended public schools in Houston and recalled riding the street car to Montrose Elementary from her home on Caroline Blvd. She attended San Jacinto High School, graduated from Dana Hall in Massachusetts, and then attended Wellesley College.

After college Ethelyn enrolled at the New York School of Interior Design and renewed her acquaintance with David Hedges from Cedar Rapids, Iowa whom she had met when he was at Dartmouth and she at Wellesley. They married shortly before he went overseas with the Navy. Dave survived the sinking of the USS Buck by a German submarine and after the War he, Ethelyn, and their son David returned to Houston where Dave worked for First City National Bank until his retirement in 1977.

Their son Dan was born soon after their move to Houston. Ethelyn served as a Room Mother at River Oaks Elementary, Den Mother for Cub Scouts , and attended innumerable sports events from Cub Scout football and Little League baseball through High School sports at Kinkaid and Lamar High School. Dave Hedges died in 1978 and Ethelyn married Roy Rather in 1988. They had six happy years together before Roy died suddenly. Ethelyn was also predeceased by her parents, her brother Bob Kuldell, and her sister Betty Colhoun.

Ethelyn served as president of The Garden Club of Houston, Directress of the Christ Church Cathedral altar guild, and as president of the Junior League Sustaining Club. She was a member of Houston Country Club and The Assembly. Ethelyn is survived by her sons David and Dan, their wives Kay and Adele, her grandchildren, Katherine Mullins and her husband Bobby, Will Hedges and his wife Casey, and Clinton Hedges, and her great granddaughter, Maggie Mullins. Ethelyn was close to Roy Rather's daughter Cherry Curlet and her husband Nigel and to her nieces and nephews. In recent years, Ethelyn enjoyed her good friends who convened for dinner every Saturday night. The family wishes to thank Guinn Law, Mary Walker, Shirley James and Shawnee Duboise who took excellent care of Ethelyn as her health declined.

The memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 18th of February, in the Chapel of the Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard, where the Rev. Dr. Laurens A. Hall, Rector, is to officiate. Immediately follow, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent Parlor.

Prior to the service, the family will have gathered for a private interment service at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that contributions be given to The Seminary of the Southwest, P.O. Box 2247, Austin, TX, 78768; the American Heart Association, P. O. Box 841125, Dallas, TX, 75284-1125; or the charity of your choice.