Sandy McBee was born Ethel Ellen Allen on April 1st, 1929. She was named after her mother and, honestly, never felt like an "Ethel" so she readily adopted the name "Sandy" at an early age…a nickname commonly used because of her sandy-blond hair.
She was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana and grew up in the smaller, rural town of Bayou Chicot, Louisiana. Both of her parents, Ethel Ellen (Gahn) Allen and Roy Earl Allen Sr., were school teachers in Bayou Chicot. She had one sister, Martha Jane Allen (Aunt Fifi), and two brothers, Roy Earl Allen, Jr. (Uncle Bud) and John K. Allen, III who died as an infant.
Her Allen lineage can be traced back to the Allen Brothers, founders of Houston, Texas.
Sandy was a self-professed "country girl" and her childhood was marked by dirt roads, selling crops from her family farm, fishing in the "pond" and walking to "Delmont's" the local, all-in-one, grocery store/post-office/gas station. A hand-written ledger sheet of her father's Delmont "account" remains in her living room to this day. As she proved later in life, she was a fighter and overcame a bout of polio at the young age of eight. She graduated from Bayou Chicot High School in 1945 where she played saxophone, passing on a tradition to some of her children and grandchildren. She attended both Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches and University of Southwestern Louisiana, later known as University of Lousiana at Lafayette, home of the "Ragin Cajuns". She had wanted to be a nurse but fate intervened one June morning in 1947 due to a "shoot the moon" tournament. She was visiting her cousin in Houston, Texas, and while he was busy playing dominoes with some classmates, one of which was a recently discharged solider by the name of Melvin D. McBee, she went to swing on the porch outside. Melvin noticed the beautiful girl outside on the porch-swing alone and he began to quickly lose "on purpose" so that he could go introduce himself to her. The spark of a lifetime was ignited on that porch. Sandy decided not to return to college that fall and instead stayed in Houston, working at Southwestern Bell. A short but sweet courtship of daily visits in Melvin's 1937 Dodge ensued and they were married on December 20, 1947. Their lovingly devoted marriage yielded seven children: Lorna Hammers, John McBee, Jane Bailey, Mary Koop, Matt McBee, Mark McBee and Elizabeth McBee-Horner who survive her. Sandy also had 19 grand and great grandchildren and was eagerly awaiting the addition to the ever-growing family with the 20th due to arrive in June.
Sandy was a busy home-maker and dedicated volunteer at St. Hyacinth Church in Deer Park, Texas where they lived until August 1971. After moving to Austin, Texas at that time, she devoted her time to volunteer work at St. Ignatius Martyr Church and School. She was an amazingly talented seamstress and sewed, not only her own clothes but also her children's and grandchildren's, not to mention just about anybody's who asked. She could cook a mean fried chicken and her chicken and dumplings recipe is renowned. She kept a tradition of baking dozens and dozens of cookies at Christmas-time, all of which she kept in festive tins on her dining room table throughout the season, readily available to everybody who wanted a treat. Another treat infamous to her grandchildren is the old oil-can jar she had perpetually filled with peanut M&Ms. The sweets she stocked in her home were, no doubt, a reflection of her sweet personality. Her love of St. Francis was evident in the many stray animals lucky enough to pass near her house. Sandy, also, loved flowers and gardening. People would stop their cars to come knock on her door to remark on how beautiful the front garden-bed was.
All of Sandy's children remark how they learned to be compassionate human beings from her. She loved and welcomed everybody into her home. A tear could be seen gathering in her eyes at the slightest talk of hardship in anybody's life. She gave her life to service and to her community. She and Melvin had several foster children in addition to their own brood. To say that she was well-loved is an vast understatement.
She may have been a sweet "country girl" but she was the toughest girl you could encounter as witnessed by her battle(s) with cancer. It was her third cancer in the spring of 2013 that caused her the most untold pain. She, however, fought it all the way wearing her "Cancer Sucks" T-shirt. Sadly, on December 6, 2013 her work on earth was done and she joined family members, friends and the other great compassionate folks in heaven. A hole in the earthly universe is left by her bodily departure but the world, no doubt, is a better place because of her having graced it with her loving presence. Go in peace and dance a mighty Cajun two-step for us all.
Visitation and Rosary will be held at 7pm, Wednesday, December 11th at Weed Corely Fish Funeral Home on South Congress.
Burial at Assumption Cemetery will follow a funeral Mass at St. Catherine of Siena church at 10am, Thursday, December 12th.
Please join the family for a reception back at St. Catherine of Siena Church immediately following the burial.
If so inclined, the family is asking for donations to be made in Sandy McBee's name to The Care Communities, a non-profit organization dedicated to linking volunteers in your local community to families in need. Sandy and Melvin had a dedicated group of young and loving volunteers who daily helped them throughout Sandy's fatal illness. The Care Communities mission statement reads: "No one should have to face a serious illness alone. The Care Communities surrounds people who are battling serious illness with a dedicated family of volunteers" and their "care team" lived up to that mission statement tenfold.
These loving volunteers made a significant difference in the lives of Sandy and Melvin throughout Sandy's illness and the family will be forever grateful.
Please donate at: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/TheCareCommunities/OnlineDonation.html
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home South
2620 S. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
∼thel "Sandy" McBee age 84, of Austin, Texas passed away on Friday, December 6, 2013. She was born on April 1, 1929 to Roy Earl Allen and Ethel Ellen Gahn in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
She was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana and grew up in the smaller, rural town of Bayou Chicot, Louisiana. Both of her parents, Ethel Ellen (Gahn) Allen and Roy Earl Allen Sr., were school teachers in Bayou Chicot. She had one sister, Martha Jane Allen (Aunt Fifi), and two brothers, Roy Earl Allen, Jr. (Uncle Bud) and John K. Allen, III who died as an infant.
Her Allen lineage can be traced back to the Allen Brothers, founders of Houston, Texas.
Sandy was a self-professed "country girl" and her childhood was marked by dirt roads, selling crops from her family farm, fishing in the "pond" and walking to "Delmont's" the local, all-in-one, grocery store/post-office/gas station. A hand-written ledger sheet of her father's Delmont "account" remains in her living room to this day. As she proved later in life, she was a fighter and overcame a bout of polio at the young age of eight. She graduated from Bayou Chicot High School in 1945 where she played saxophone, passing on a tradition to some of her children and grandchildren. She attended both Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches and University of Southwestern Louisiana, later known as University of Lousiana at Lafayette, home of the "Ragin Cajuns". She had wanted to be a nurse but fate intervened one June morning in 1947 due to a "shoot the moon" tournament. She was visiting her cousin in Houston, Texas, and while he was busy playing dominoes with some classmates, one of which was a recently discharged solider by the name of Melvin D. McBee, she went to swing on the porch outside. Melvin noticed the beautiful girl outside on the porch-swing alone and he began to quickly lose "on purpose" so that he could go introduce himself to her. The spark of a lifetime was ignited on that porch. Sandy decided not to return to college that fall and instead stayed in Houston, working at Southwestern Bell. A short but sweet courtship of daily visits in Melvin's 1937 Dodge ensued and they were married on December 20, 1947. Their lovingly devoted marriage yielded seven children: Lorna Hammers, John McBee, Jane Bailey, Mary Koop, Matt McBee, Mark McBee and Elizabeth McBee-Horner who survive her. Sandy also had 19 grand and great grandchildren and was eagerly awaiting the addition to the ever-growing family with the 20th due to arrive in June.
Sandy was a busy home-maker and dedicated volunteer at St. Hyacinth Church in Deer Park, Texas where they lived until August 1971. After moving to Austin, Texas at that time, she devoted her time to volunteer work at St. Ignatius Martyr Church and School. She was an amazingly talented seamstress and sewed, not only her own clothes but also her children's and grandchildren's, not to mention just about anybody's who asked. She could cook a mean fried chicken and her chicken and dumplings recipe is renowned. She kept a tradition of baking dozens and dozens of cookies at Christmas-time, all of which she kept in festive tins on her dining room table throughout the season, readily available to everybody who wanted a treat. Another treat infamous to her grandchildren is the old oil-can jar she had perpetually filled with peanut M&Ms. The sweets she stocked in her home were, no doubt, a reflection of her sweet personality. Her love of St. Francis was evident in the many stray animals lucky enough to pass near her house. Sandy, also, loved flowers and gardening. People would stop their cars to come knock on her door to remark on how beautiful the front garden-bed was.
All of Sandy's children remark how they learned to be compassionate human beings from her. She loved and welcomed everybody into her home. A tear could be seen gathering in her eyes at the slightest talk of hardship in anybody's life. She gave her life to service and to her community. She and Melvin had several foster children in addition to their own brood. To say that she was well-loved is an vast understatement.
She may have been a sweet "country girl" but she was the toughest girl you could encounter as witnessed by her battle(s) with cancer. It was her third cancer in the spring of 2013 that caused her the most untold pain. She, however, fought it all the way wearing her "Cancer Sucks" T-shirt. Sadly, on December 6, 2013 her work on earth was done and she joined family members, friends and the other great compassionate folks in heaven. A hole in the earthly universe is left by her bodily departure but the world, no doubt, is a better place because of her having graced it with her loving presence. Go in peace and dance a mighty Cajun two-step for us all.
Visitation and Rosary will be held at 7pm, Wednesday, December 11th at Weed Corely Fish Funeral Home on South Congress.
Burial at Assumption Cemetery will follow a funeral Mass at St. Catherine of Siena church at 10am, Thursday, December 12th.
Please join the family for a reception back at St. Catherine of Siena Church immediately following the burial.
If so inclined, the family is asking for donations to be made in Sandy McBee's name to The Care Communities, a non-profit organization dedicated to linking volunteers in your local community to families in need. Sandy and Melvin had a dedicated group of young and loving volunteers who daily helped them throughout Sandy's fatal illness. The Care Communities mission statement reads: "No one should have to face a serious illness alone. The Care Communities surrounds people who are battling serious illness with a dedicated family of volunteers" and their "care team" lived up to that mission statement tenfold.
These loving volunteers made a significant difference in the lives of Sandy and Melvin throughout Sandy's illness and the family will be forever grateful.
Please donate at: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/TheCareCommunities/OnlineDonation.html
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home South
2620 S. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
∼thel "Sandy" McBee age 84, of Austin, Texas passed away on Friday, December 6, 2013. She was born on April 1, 1929 to Roy Earl Allen and Ethel Ellen Gahn in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
Sandy McBee was born Ethel Ellen Allen on April 1st, 1929. She was named after her mother and, honestly, never felt like an "Ethel" so she readily adopted the name "Sandy" at an early age…a nickname commonly used because of her sandy-blond hair.
She was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana and grew up in the smaller, rural town of Bayou Chicot, Louisiana. Both of her parents, Ethel Ellen (Gahn) Allen and Roy Earl Allen Sr., were school teachers in Bayou Chicot. She had one sister, Martha Jane Allen (Aunt Fifi), and two brothers, Roy Earl Allen, Jr. (Uncle Bud) and John K. Allen, III who died as an infant.
Her Allen lineage can be traced back to the Allen Brothers, founders of Houston, Texas.
Sandy was a self-professed "country girl" and her childhood was marked by dirt roads, selling crops from her family farm, fishing in the "pond" and walking to "Delmont's" the local, all-in-one, grocery store/post-office/gas station. A hand-written ledger sheet of her father's Delmont "account" remains in her living room to this day. As she proved later in life, she was a fighter and overcame a bout of polio at the young age of eight. She graduated from Bayou Chicot High School in 1945 where she played saxophone, passing on a tradition to some of her children and grandchildren. She attended both Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches and University of Southwestern Louisiana, later known as University of Lousiana at Lafayette, home of the "Ragin Cajuns". She had wanted to be a nurse but fate intervened one June morning in 1947 due to a "shoot the moon" tournament. She was visiting her cousin in Houston, Texas, and while he was busy playing dominoes with some classmates, one of which was a recently discharged solider by the name of Melvin D. McBee, she went to swing on the porch outside. Melvin noticed the beautiful girl outside on the porch-swing alone and he began to quickly lose "on purpose" so that he could go introduce himself to her. The spark of a lifetime was ignited on that porch. Sandy decided not to return to college that fall and instead stayed in Houston, working at Southwestern Bell. A short but sweet courtship of daily visits in Melvin's 1937 Dodge ensued and they were married on December 20, 1947. Their lovingly devoted marriage yielded seven children: Lorna Hammers, John McBee, Jane Bailey, Mary Koop, Matt McBee, Mark McBee and Elizabeth McBee-Horner who survive her. Sandy also had 19 grand and great grandchildren and was eagerly awaiting the addition to the ever-growing family with the 20th due to arrive in June.
Sandy was a busy home-maker and dedicated volunteer at St. Hyacinth Church in Deer Park, Texas where they lived until August 1971. After moving to Austin, Texas at that time, she devoted her time to volunteer work at St. Ignatius Martyr Church and School. She was an amazingly talented seamstress and sewed, not only her own clothes but also her children's and grandchildren's, not to mention just about anybody's who asked. She could cook a mean fried chicken and her chicken and dumplings recipe is renowned. She kept a tradition of baking dozens and dozens of cookies at Christmas-time, all of which she kept in festive tins on her dining room table throughout the season, readily available to everybody who wanted a treat. Another treat infamous to her grandchildren is the old oil-can jar she had perpetually filled with peanut M&Ms. The sweets she stocked in her home were, no doubt, a reflection of her sweet personality. Her love of St. Francis was evident in the many stray animals lucky enough to pass near her house. Sandy, also, loved flowers and gardening. People would stop their cars to come knock on her door to remark on how beautiful the front garden-bed was.
All of Sandy's children remark how they learned to be compassionate human beings from her. She loved and welcomed everybody into her home. A tear could be seen gathering in her eyes at the slightest talk of hardship in anybody's life. She gave her life to service and to her community. She and Melvin had several foster children in addition to their own brood. To say that she was well-loved is an vast understatement.
She may have been a sweet "country girl" but she was the toughest girl you could encounter as witnessed by her battle(s) with cancer. It was her third cancer in the spring of 2013 that caused her the most untold pain. She, however, fought it all the way wearing her "Cancer Sucks" T-shirt. Sadly, on December 6, 2013 her work on earth was done and she joined family members, friends and the other great compassionate folks in heaven. A hole in the earthly universe is left by her bodily departure but the world, no doubt, is a better place because of her having graced it with her loving presence. Go in peace and dance a mighty Cajun two-step for us all.
Visitation and Rosary will be held at 7pm, Wednesday, December 11th at Weed Corely Fish Funeral Home on South Congress.
Burial at Assumption Cemetery will follow a funeral Mass at St. Catherine of Siena church at 10am, Thursday, December 12th.
Please join the family for a reception back at St. Catherine of Siena Church immediately following the burial.
If so inclined, the family is asking for donations to be made in Sandy McBee's name to The Care Communities, a non-profit organization dedicated to linking volunteers in your local community to families in need. Sandy and Melvin had a dedicated group of young and loving volunteers who daily helped them throughout Sandy's fatal illness. The Care Communities mission statement reads: "No one should have to face a serious illness alone. The Care Communities surrounds people who are battling serious illness with a dedicated family of volunteers" and their "care team" lived up to that mission statement tenfold.
These loving volunteers made a significant difference in the lives of Sandy and Melvin throughout Sandy's illness and the family will be forever grateful.
Please donate at: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/TheCareCommunities/OnlineDonation.html
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home South
2620 S. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
∼thel "Sandy" McBee age 84, of Austin, Texas passed away on Friday, December 6, 2013. She was born on April 1, 1929 to Roy Earl Allen and Ethel Ellen Gahn in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
She was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana and grew up in the smaller, rural town of Bayou Chicot, Louisiana. Both of her parents, Ethel Ellen (Gahn) Allen and Roy Earl Allen Sr., were school teachers in Bayou Chicot. She had one sister, Martha Jane Allen (Aunt Fifi), and two brothers, Roy Earl Allen, Jr. (Uncle Bud) and John K. Allen, III who died as an infant.
Her Allen lineage can be traced back to the Allen Brothers, founders of Houston, Texas.
Sandy was a self-professed "country girl" and her childhood was marked by dirt roads, selling crops from her family farm, fishing in the "pond" and walking to "Delmont's" the local, all-in-one, grocery store/post-office/gas station. A hand-written ledger sheet of her father's Delmont "account" remains in her living room to this day. As she proved later in life, she was a fighter and overcame a bout of polio at the young age of eight. She graduated from Bayou Chicot High School in 1945 where she played saxophone, passing on a tradition to some of her children and grandchildren. She attended both Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches and University of Southwestern Louisiana, later known as University of Lousiana at Lafayette, home of the "Ragin Cajuns". She had wanted to be a nurse but fate intervened one June morning in 1947 due to a "shoot the moon" tournament. She was visiting her cousin in Houston, Texas, and while he was busy playing dominoes with some classmates, one of which was a recently discharged solider by the name of Melvin D. McBee, she went to swing on the porch outside. Melvin noticed the beautiful girl outside on the porch-swing alone and he began to quickly lose "on purpose" so that he could go introduce himself to her. The spark of a lifetime was ignited on that porch. Sandy decided not to return to college that fall and instead stayed in Houston, working at Southwestern Bell. A short but sweet courtship of daily visits in Melvin's 1937 Dodge ensued and they were married on December 20, 1947. Their lovingly devoted marriage yielded seven children: Lorna Hammers, John McBee, Jane Bailey, Mary Koop, Matt McBee, Mark McBee and Elizabeth McBee-Horner who survive her. Sandy also had 19 grand and great grandchildren and was eagerly awaiting the addition to the ever-growing family with the 20th due to arrive in June.
Sandy was a busy home-maker and dedicated volunteer at St. Hyacinth Church in Deer Park, Texas where they lived until August 1971. After moving to Austin, Texas at that time, she devoted her time to volunteer work at St. Ignatius Martyr Church and School. She was an amazingly talented seamstress and sewed, not only her own clothes but also her children's and grandchildren's, not to mention just about anybody's who asked. She could cook a mean fried chicken and her chicken and dumplings recipe is renowned. She kept a tradition of baking dozens and dozens of cookies at Christmas-time, all of which she kept in festive tins on her dining room table throughout the season, readily available to everybody who wanted a treat. Another treat infamous to her grandchildren is the old oil-can jar she had perpetually filled with peanut M&Ms. The sweets she stocked in her home were, no doubt, a reflection of her sweet personality. Her love of St. Francis was evident in the many stray animals lucky enough to pass near her house. Sandy, also, loved flowers and gardening. People would stop their cars to come knock on her door to remark on how beautiful the front garden-bed was.
All of Sandy's children remark how they learned to be compassionate human beings from her. She loved and welcomed everybody into her home. A tear could be seen gathering in her eyes at the slightest talk of hardship in anybody's life. She gave her life to service and to her community. She and Melvin had several foster children in addition to their own brood. To say that she was well-loved is an vast understatement.
She may have been a sweet "country girl" but she was the toughest girl you could encounter as witnessed by her battle(s) with cancer. It was her third cancer in the spring of 2013 that caused her the most untold pain. She, however, fought it all the way wearing her "Cancer Sucks" T-shirt. Sadly, on December 6, 2013 her work on earth was done and she joined family members, friends and the other great compassionate folks in heaven. A hole in the earthly universe is left by her bodily departure but the world, no doubt, is a better place because of her having graced it with her loving presence. Go in peace and dance a mighty Cajun two-step for us all.
Visitation and Rosary will be held at 7pm, Wednesday, December 11th at Weed Corely Fish Funeral Home on South Congress.
Burial at Assumption Cemetery will follow a funeral Mass at St. Catherine of Siena church at 10am, Thursday, December 12th.
Please join the family for a reception back at St. Catherine of Siena Church immediately following the burial.
If so inclined, the family is asking for donations to be made in Sandy McBee's name to The Care Communities, a non-profit organization dedicated to linking volunteers in your local community to families in need. Sandy and Melvin had a dedicated group of young and loving volunteers who daily helped them throughout Sandy's fatal illness. The Care Communities mission statement reads: "No one should have to face a serious illness alone. The Care Communities surrounds people who are battling serious illness with a dedicated family of volunteers" and their "care team" lived up to that mission statement tenfold.
These loving volunteers made a significant difference in the lives of Sandy and Melvin throughout Sandy's illness and the family will be forever grateful.
Please donate at: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/TheCareCommunities/OnlineDonation.html
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home South
2620 S. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
∼thel "Sandy" McBee age 84, of Austin, Texas passed away on Friday, December 6, 2013. She was born on April 1, 1929 to Roy Earl Allen and Ethel Ellen Gahn in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
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