Elizabeth Earl Roddy Cecil's Obituary
Elizabeth Earl Roddy Cecil, born in 1925, passed away on May 24, 2015 at the age of 89, with her family by her side. Born to Thomas Carl Roddy, Sr. and Ervelia Earl Singletary Roddy in Port Arthur, Texas, Elizabeth Earl was preceded in death by her son, Stephen Leigh Cecil. She is survived by her husband of almost 67 years, Olin B. Cecil; her sister, Francis Ava Avent; her children, Phyllis Grant and her husband Gary J. Grant, and Mary Beth Coady and her husband Todd Coady; and her grandchildren, Sarah Elizabeth Grant, Ryan Thomas Coady, and Megan Elizabeth Coady. She will be buried at Restland. Visitation is Friday evening from 6-8. The service will be held at The Abbey Chapel Saturday morning at 9:30. Another service will be held at the WhiteStone Chapel at a later date. Elizabeth Earl graduated from Rice University, where she met her husband, Olin, a returning US Navy World War II veteran. Her wit and fire captivated him for seven decades, despite – or perhaps partly because of – her slamming the door in his face the first time she met him. She and Olin fell in love as undergraduates, and were married in 1948, celebrating what became a life-long relationship of repartee and intellect. As newlyweds, Elizabeth and Olin lived in Houston for several years, and later Austin and St. Louis, Missouri. They settled in Dallas for over five decades, where they raised their three children. Elizabeth Earl taught mathematics at Richardson West Junior High, and earned a Master’s of Education from the University of North Texas. Education was always important to her; upon retirement, she and her husband opened The Learning Place, a tutoring clinic in far north Dallas. In Dallas, Elizabeth Earl and her husband were members of Highland Park United Methodist Church, where they were part of the 2×2 Sunday school class for many years. In 2010, Elizabeth Earl and Olin moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, to be closer to family. She was a resident of WhiteStone, a Masonic and Eastern Star community, where she was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She will be remembered for her passion for history and genealogy. A proud Daughter of the Republic of Texas, James Butler Bonham chapter, she spent much time tracking down family records in courthouses, graveyards, and libraries to piece together a varied and fascinating family tree dating back to Europe in the 9th century. She shared the stories she collected from her own life and her ancestors with her children and grandchildren. As a girl, Elizabeth Earl played piano and organ in her local church in Port Arthur, and also learned to play the accordion. She passed her love of music on to her grandchildren, often playing piano with them by her side, turning the pages for her. She was a devoted fan of the Texas Rangers and had every confidence that they were going to turn this season around. She loved animals all her life, had many pets, and is also survived by her cat, Smarty Pants. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243. Elizabeth Earl had a special place in her heart for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in her memory, please do so at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org or Shriners Hospitals, 2900 N. Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.
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