Lorna Culp Budlong

Lorna Culp Budlong passed away on Monday, December 5, 2011 at the age of 89. The dignity and grace that was her trademark served her at the end of life as it had throughout as she passed away peacefully.

Lorna was a fourth generation Gainesville native born on October 11, 1922. Her family were true Texans in the best sense of the word. Her mother was Bess McLean of the well known Ft. Worth McLean family. Her grandfather, Judge William Pinckney McLean was one of the original signers of the Texas Constitution. She grew up in the Gainesville area learning to ride horses and hunt at an early age and was one of the first women to learn to fly a plane.

She said that she loved being a pilot, but gave it up when she decided to marry one, Travis L. Budlong, her husband of 67 years. She met Travis, another fourth generation Texan, in the third grade at the Gainesville Grade School and their life became one of love and adventure, giving them opportunities to live in Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin and provided lives full of experiences for their children, Ann and Travis. Lorna easily made friends in each city and maintained relationships with them all.

Lorna loved her family and friends and she loved her TCU Horned Frogs. She graduated sixth in her class from TCU, class of 1944. Surrounded by University of Texas and University of Oklahoma graduates did not dissuade Lorna's passion for TCU football, easily quoting statistics about the years when TCU had a great team. She didn't feel the need to argue about the merits of her alma mater. She simply smiled when sports became a topic and wore her beloved "Horned Frog" pin to every football gathering, no matter who played.

Lorna is survived by her husband Travis L. Budlong of Austin, her son Travis J. Budlong and wife Shirley of Spring Branch, daughter Ann Schneider and husband Bill of Austin, eight grandchildren: Tamra, Blane, and Trisha Budlong, Dawn Robinson, Robert Kreiner, Allison Angelillo, Teresa LaBate, and Meloni Murray, and seven great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents Bess and Grady Culp, and her sister Margaret Russell.

A funeral will be held on Friday December 9th at 10:00 am at the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow at the Fairview Cemetery.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday December 12th at 10:30 am with lunch to follow at the Riverbend Church in Austin in the Smith Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to TCU Scholarship Fund at Texas Christian University, TCU Advancement, Box 297044, Fort Worth, TX 76129