Barbara McPherson Cauley passed on from this Earth on Friday, May 14, 2021. She is survived by her daughter, Laurie Couch, and her husband, Mark, son Steve and his wife, Betsy, son Terry and his wife, Tina, and son-in-law Don Gray; grandchildren, Tyler Musgrave and his wife, Jessica, Melanie Lawson and her husband Tyler Dean, Trenton Musgrave, Tanner Musgrave, Taylor Shealy and her husband, Rick, Collin Cauley and his wife, Alissa, James Cauley and his wife, Maddie, Troy Cauley, and Sarah Cauley, and “adopted” granddaughter, Crystal Mohr; great grandchildren Luke Musgrave, Emily Musgrave, Payton Shealy, Conner Lawson, Asher Musgrave, Clara Lawson, Jaden Shealy, and Presley Shealy. She is preceded in death by her father, Roy McPherson, beloved daughter, Charlotte Gray, sister, Anne Mendenhall, mother, Gertrude McPherson, and her beloved husband of 65 years, Peyton “Dab” Cauley.
Barbara was born May 15, 1934, in Denton, Texas. She loved Denton, which was a relatively small city in those days, and pledged to one day write a book about growing up there. Her family moved to Dallas after her father Roy, a professor of Economics, was hired by SMU.
Barbara and Dabney had been childhood friends as long as they could remember. Dabney’s family had moved to Indiana but in the fall of 1953, Dabney, who had enlisted with the Air Force, was stationed in Oklahoma just a couple hours from Dallas. He and Barbara reconnected, fell in love, and on December 18 of 1954, they were married.
Barbara obtained a degree in Education from SMU and taught elementary school for a few years, but most of her time was spent raising her four children and investing her time and talents into her personal relationships. She was a “mother” to her children’s friends as well, happily giving them rides home from school, buying them snacks, having them over for dinner, etc. Likewise she became “Nana” to her grandkids’ friends, giving them rides home from school, buying them treats, and welcoming them into her home as well.
Barbara and Dabney above all else prioritized establishing their family, enjoying their grandchildren and great grandchildren, and the company of each other. Their last project together was a labor of love; finding enough acreage where they could build homes for themselves and their children. She and Dabney spent their last years on their beautiful Spicewood property with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren very nearby.
A memorial service celebrating Barbara’s life will be held at Lakeway Church, located at 2203 Lakeway Blvd. on Monday, June 7, at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Lake Travis Crisis Ministry in Barbara’s name.
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Lake Travis Crisis Ministry, Lakeway, Texas
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