Frances Lawlis Gordon

GORDON, FRANCES LAWLIS (1914 ~ 2021). The following is an obituary for Frances Gordon, spouse of Tom Gordon, who served on various Senate-confirmed boards in Texas. The obituary was provided by Weed, Corley, Fish Funeral Home of Austin.

Frances Lawlis Gordon died on August 7, 2021 after over 106 years of, as she described it, a wonderful life. She was born in Llano, Texas on September 22, 1914 to The Reverend John Franklin Lawlis and Sally Skinner Lawlis. She was the youngest of 5 children. She graduated from Abilene High School, Abilene, Texas in 1932 and graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, with a degree in Journalism. While at the University, she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority and met a young law student named Thomas George Gordon, Jr. They were married on October 28, 1939. During World War II, while her husband served in the Army Air Corps, she joined him in New York where she worked for the War Department. After World War II, they moved to Lubbock, Texas and then to Houston where Tom practiced law. In 1950, Tom and Frances moved to Abilene, Texas. In 2010, after 70 years of marriage, Tom Gordon died. Frances remained in Abilene until 2018 when, at age 104, she moved to Lakeway, Texas to be near her family.

She is survived by her daughter Brooke Cato and husband George of The Hills, Texas; three granddaughters, Leigh Cato DuBose and husband Nathan of Austin, Ann Cato Bernard and husband Tollie of Austin, and Maggie Cato Habayeb and husband Jay of Katy. Also surviving her are 9 great grandchildren, Gordon and John DuBose of Austin; Kate, Frances, Tolbert, and William Bernard of Austin; and Sophie, Caroline, and Emma Habayeb of Katy. Other survivors include her beloved nieces Toppy Goolsby of Dallas; Paula Cavitt of Parker; Ann Latimer of Plano; Carrie Frances Lovejoy of Keller; and Sally Loch of Abilene. She is also survived by many wonderful great nieces and nephews and their children.

This obituary does not come close to describing Frances’ extraordinary life or her accomplishments, but it is just what she wanted. Being a lady of “simple elegance,” and as a former journalist, Frances wanted her obituary to be clean, direct, and above all, short. To that end, Frances wrote it and made us promise to only make necessary edits and not to add anything except for additional great grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at the Texas State Cemetery, 909 Navasota St., Austin, TX. at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, August 12, 2021.

Our heartfelt thanks goes to Belmont Village, Lakeway and Silverado Hospice for their loving care of Frances. The family requests that all who knew Frances honor her by living life to the fullest, loving family and friends, and being kind to all.