Elizabeth Ann Birdlebough, age 82, passed peacefully from this world into the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. From her birth in Longleaf, Louisiana, on October 19, 1936, to her death, she attended to the needs of people around her with love, faith, laughter, and prayer. She was born to Carey and Nell (Mixon) Duke and was the older sister of her brother, Carey Jr. who she lovingly called “Brother”.
Elizabeth began playing the piano at an early age and continued playing the piano for much of the remainder of her life. After graduating from Bolton High School in Alexandria, Louisiana, she attended Louisiana College in Natchitoches, Louisiana – graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She began her teaching career in elementary education in New Orleans, Louisiana where she taught for several years and graduated with a Master’s degree in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Seminary.
This beautiful “Southern Belle” met her “Yankee”, Charles (Chuck) Scott Birdlebough, on a blind date. They married on August 6, 1966 and have been inseparable for the last fifty-two years. A year and a half later, they celebrated the birth of their first child, Linda.
Shortly thereafter they moved to Seattle, Washington where Elizabeth proved that she was always up for an adventure by learning how to snow ski. After a few years, the family of 3 took a “brief” nine month camping trip in a pop-up camper trusting God would lead them to Chuck’s next job. By 1971 they relocated from station wagon and a camper to a new home in Huntsville, Alabama where they made wonderful friends and several years later added a second daughter, Mary, to the family.
In late 1976 they finally made it to Texas where she would live the rest of her days – the first 11 years in Houston and the remainder in Richardson. In each of the places she called home, she served her family, friends, and church family. She began adulthood as an elementary school teacher, became a full-time wife and mother, spent many years selling World Book Encyclopedias part-time while her daughters were in school and full-time once they graduated, became a substitute teacher and then worked in the children’s department at Prestonwood until she retired.
Throughout her life she was passionate about education, particularly teaching kids about Jesus. Elizabeth and Chuck taught third grade Sunday school for over forty years beginning at Huntsville’s Whitesburg Baptist Church, then Houston’s First Baptist Church and finally finishing up at Prestonwood. Left to honor Elizabeth and remember her love, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness and laughter are her beloved husband, Charles Birdlebough; her two daughters and their husbands, Linda (Ian) Mackie and Mary (Scott) Smith; six grandchildren, Faith, Eden and Tristan Mackie, Eli, Nathan and Lucas Smith; a brother, Carey (Carol) Duke; two brothers-in-law, Steve (Sally) Birdlebough and Mike (Sandy) Birdlebough; many nieces and nephews; several loving caregivers; and many wonderful friends.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come”. Proverbs 31:25 Elizabeth will be remembered as a bright, prayerful, shining light in her family, her community and churches she served. Her burial will be at Mount Tabor Cemetery in Glenwood, Arkansas, on Sunday, February 3, 2019, under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Glenwood.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 8, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Prestonwood in Plano, Texas (located at 6801 W. Park Blvd, Plano, TX 75093). The Birdlebough family would like to extend our gratitude to all the hospice staff, volunteers and Elizabeth’s caregivers for their attentiveness and loving care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Children’s Department of Prestonwood (www.
prestonwood.org) or Moms in Prayer (momsinprayer.org). Guest registry is at www. davis-smith.com.
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