Louise Barclay
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Louise Barclay
March 20, 1919 - May 22, 2016
Florence Louise Fowler Barclay,
of Nederland, died Sunday, May 22, 2016, surrounded by the loving arms of her
family. Louise was born shortly after the end of World War I, on March 20,
1919, to George and Octavia Fowler in Galveston. Soon afterward, the family
moved to Call, Texas. Throughout her life, Louise often referred to her
hometown with a twinkle in her eye saying, “I guess they can call me a Call
Girl!” That twinkle of humor and mischief was often present and was one of her defining
characteristics.
While a student at Kirbyville
High School, Louise served as a cheerleader until she met and married James
Harold Barclay in 1935. The couple soon had to weather a tragedy with the loss
of their first son, Edwin, at birth. The doctor told Louise she would never
have another child. Never one to do exactly as she was told, Louise quickly
followed this pronouncement by having twelve more children. Stubbornness also
was a defining characteristic of Louise.
Louise raised
her twelve children and many grandchildren. After her youngest children entered
school, she started working at Humpty Dumpty Daycare in Nederland. Her love of
children, especially babies, was legendary. In fact, she was named Nederland’s
Mother of the Year in 2013 in recognition of this love.
When her
husband, Harold, became ill, she left work to nurse him for many years until
his death in 1988. When her sister, Pat, had cancer, Louise’s amazing capacity
for love was again demonstrated when she took Pat in and nursed her until her
death in 1996. Love was definitely a defining characteristic of Louise.
Louise suffered many other losses
through the years, from a house fire in 1976 to the loss of her sons, Ron (1984),
Steve (2012), Charles (2013), her niece Patsy (2012) whom she treated as a
daughter, and great-granddaughter Kayla in (2008).
Louise was known as Grandma to
everybody. She adopted friends of her children and grandchildren. In the end,
she was more apt to answer to Grandma than any other name. As difficult as it
was to watch, the family did enjoy some of her imaginative stories near the
end. She lost her battle at age 97.
Louise is survived by her
children, Byron, Lynda (Gene), Sandra (Jesse), Mary, Rick (Beth), Kathy (Tommy),
Charlotte (Tim), Mike (Kay), and Jerry (Patti); twenty-three grandchildren;
forty-five great-grandchildren; and twenty-one great-great-grandchildren.
A gathering of “Grandma” Florence
Louise Barclay’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday,
May 26, 2016, at Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. Her
funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 27, 2016, at Broussard’s, with
interment to follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches.
Grandma’s twinkling,
stubborn, and loving spirit will be missed by all.
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