My mother was a trailblazer. Born in 1950 to James Cleo and Eva Marie, she graduated from Midland High School and lived in Dallas for the majority of her life. She began her career as a stewardess with Delta Air Lines in 1973; designed and built her own home in Garland, TX in 1977; and spent her free time hopping around the Virgin Islands, living the dream. Nothing held her back, not adversity, poverty, or being a woman. She loved her family, being a mother, and rescuing animals. She set the example of a strong, independent woman. She outlived her parents and all five of her siblings. She is survived by her daughter, Cody Thompson, of Elk City, Oklahoma.