Jane Brazelton Dudgeon

Jane Brazelton Dudgeon September 6, 1915 - June 13, 2011 Jane Dudgeon of Waco passed away Monday, June 13, 2011. Jane was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church of Waco, where memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 21. The graveside service will be 1:00 p.m., one hour prior to the memorial service, at Oakwood Cemetery. Jane Brazelton Dudgeon was born September 6, 1915, in Waco, to William Lawson and Lida Clinton Brazelton. She was married for 63 years to Howard Rush Dudgeon, Jr., who predeceased her in 2000. A graduate of Waco High School, Jane attended Salem College in North Carolina, The University of Texas at Austin, and graduated from Baylor University, where she also pursued graduate studies. An artist, scholar, traveler, and a kind and thoughtful friend, Jane spent her life sharing her talents. She contributed to the humanitarian, political and cultural concerns of the Waco community. She was most proud of her Chairmanship of the Junior League Tornado Committee in 1953, because it enabled her to help the people of Waco. Among her many involvements were President of the McLennan County Medical Auxiliary, Executive Board of Women's Auxiliary of the Texas Medical Association, Chairman of Waco Children's Symphony, YMCA Board and Executive Committee, Chairman of McLennan County Campaign for Eisenhower, State Democratic Executive Committee, Waco Historic Pilgrimage Chairman, Founding Member of the Cotton Palace Pageant, Art Center Advisory Committee, Brazos Forum Board and more. In 1977, she was the Honor Initiate at the Installation of the Pi Beta Phi Chapter at Baylor University, and in 1988, was recognized as the local Mortar Board Woman of the Year at Baylor. Jane said that she knew she had artistic talent when her second grade teacher at Sanger Avenue School pressed her to do posters for a special event. She served as sketch artist for many organizations, and loved designing the needlepoint for chairs in the Elizabeth Barrett Browning Room at the Armstrong-Browning Library. As a founding Director of the Cotton Palace Pageant, Jane designed the court costumes and shield for the premier performance in 1971, and in 1974 the Pageant program was dedicated to her. Some of her early art work, inspired by Howard's profession, were anatomical sketches published in the Texas State Medical Journal, 1938; Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1940; American Journal of Surgery, 1943; and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1942. A perfectionist, she pursued oil painting all of her life. From 1959 through 1969, Jane planned and directed comprehensive tours of Europe for college students. She, and the students who traveled with her, cherished the memories of those trips. Jane is survived by her son, Howard Rush Dudgeon III of Waco; her daughter, Ann Dudgeon Phy and husband, Paul, of Dallas; and grandchildren, Paul-David Phy of Houston, and Elizabeth Ann Phy of Dallas. The family is grateful to Ernestine Banks, Rene Banks, Ruedene Brown, Shirley Cashaw, Charlie Wells and La Sehenda Willis for the loving care they provided to Jane. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Waco, 1100 Austin Ave., Waco TX 76701, or a charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.