A Beautiful Lady

Myrtle Hornsby Callan

1902-2007

Today I remember a blessed treasure. She was a sweet lady, and dearly missed.

 Today is my great-grandmother's birthday. She joined Jesus in her eternal home just 4 short years ago, only 3 weeks following her 105th birthday. She was a such a sweet lady, and I hold onto my memories of her with a deep fondness.

The thing I remember most about her was her joy! She always had a smile, and she always had a positive outlook on things. She loved to travel. She loved her family, and we all loved her. I've always said that I would be doing great if I could have that same positive attitude when I was her age. That's certainly one of my goals. I don't want to grow up and be remembered as a grumpy old lady.

Myrtle loved history and teaching, and telling family stories from the past. She also taught History at the Texas School for the Deaf for over 30 years. She was never deaf, but she loved teaching and loved children. Her favorite was Texas History, of course. At her 100th birthday party, it had to be the biggest birthday party I'd ever seen or attended. Maybe 200 people there, or more. There were many people who came out that day who knew her from the school, former students and coworkers. And Myrtle was watching the ASL interpreter during the speeches. It was fun to see her signing back!

I look back and marvel at the changes she saw in our city and our country over the years she was here. Her grandfather was one of the original settlers who joined with Stephen F. Austin to found the colony that would later be known as Austin, TX. She's witnessed things from Comanche Indian raids to computers and cell phones, and everything in between. Just amazing!

I was blessed that she was able to be at our wedding, at 98 years young! She was also able to hold each of my children as babies. I only wish I would have asked more questions and started working on my family tree genealogy a long time ago while I still had her as a wealthy source of information.

She was a beautiful lady, inside and out. And I still miss her.