Cecil Brown Staudt

The third child of Milton and Norma Brown, she grew up on a farm 15 miles outside of Dilley, Texas. Something of a tomboy, she would embarrass her sister by playing sports with the boys after school while waiting for the bus.

Her family instilled a dedication to education sending all 3 of their children to college, including the girls. She received a bachelors degree in education and eventually a masters in library science. She initially taught in her own high school in Dilley and then moved to San Antonio where, over the years, she taught at Brackenridge and Highlands High Schools, eventually retiring after over 15 years as the librarian at Edison High School. One wonders how many lives she touched along the way.

She was a firm believer that everyone, including women, should be able to support themselves and their families, if necessary. It was an uncommon belief for her time and generation.

In 1952, she married William "Billy" Staudt. They met on a blind double date. He was a WWII and D-Day veteran. An accountant, he was quiet and reserved to her out-going nature. Together they were partners with a belief in hard work, a dedication to family, and never living beyond ones means. They shared expenses including splitting all of their daughters education costs. There were never any arguments over money. In her last weeks, in her confusion, she would ask where he was and when he would be coming home even though he had died in 1994.

There were wonderful summers the family spent exploring all the museums, missions and parks of San Antonio. On the weekends, there were spontaneous family car trips throughout the countryside.

Oh, how she wanted to travel. In the family, there was a famous car trip, soon after WWII ended, when she drove her mother and aunt to visit an uncle in California. How rare it was in the 1940s. They overcame several near-disasters along the way including the car over-heating and brakes failing but made it home triumphantly.

Growing up, every summer there was a 2-week family car trip to somewhere in North America, be it to Maine or Florida or the Rockies. The family would just head out in one direction or another to see what they could see along the way. They even made jaunts to Canada and Mexico. Cecil would eventually travel to all 50 states.

But she wanted to see the world-so she did. As finances allowed, they were able to travel internationally. Even after her husband died, she would continue her travels with family and friends. She would cruise the Amazon, Nile and Yangtze Rivers. She would visit the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, and Chinas Imperial Palace. She would spend the new millennium at the pyramids in Egypt. In her 80s, she would wade ashore in Antarctica in paisley rubber boots. She would see lions in Africa, tortoises in the Galapagos, reindeer in Lapland, and kangaroos in Australia.

Her Catholic faith was central to her. Even when wheelchair-bound in her last years, and when dressing was a struggle, she would attend Mass on Sunday, her only outing for the week.

She loved to read. There were always books-books by her chair and books by her bed. In the mornings she made herself a cup of hot tea and would sit and work the crossword puzzle. She particularly loved to get together with friends of all ages, particularly if it involved a rousing game of cards.

She will be missed by the family and friends she leaves behind.

Travel on, oh voyager.

The family will receive friends on Monday, February 14, 2022 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Porter Loring Mortuary.

ROSARY

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

7:00

PORTER LORING CHAPEL

MASS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022

10:00 AM

ST. LUKES CATHOLIC CHURCH

4603 MANITOU DR., SAN ANTONIO, TX 78228

Father Eric Ritter will officiate. Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.